Effect of Sodium on Swelling Post-op?

Eliminating sodium for your diet could put you at risk for problems other than swelling after surgery. Swelling after any injury, including surgery, is related to the inflammatory process necessary for healing. Eliminating the inflammatory process completely would result in poor healing. Most of the early swelling after surgery is related to the IV fluids you receive during the procedure, which contain a lot of salt, so drinking plenty of water after surgery will help to "flush" the salt out of your system. My recommendation is to have our patients follow a normal diet with an emphasis on fruits and vegetables (for vitamins and minerals) and consistant amounts of high quality protein. Fruit "smoothies" with extra protein are excellent options!

It would be most unusual in this country to have any nutritional deficits that would indicate any benefits for a change in diet to enable normal wound healing. Taking in no sodium for six weeks is more likely to cause metabolic disturbance than it is to provide any benefit in recovery. Discuss your plan with your surgeon. All the best.