postoperative

adjective

post·​op·​er·​a·​tive ˌpōst-ˈä-p(ə-)rə-tiv How to pronounce postoperative (audio)
-pə-ˌrā-
1
: following a surgical operation
postoperative care
2
: having recently undergone a surgical operation
a postoperative patient
postoperatively adverb

Examples of postoperative in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Researchers also found that while in general patients had better outcomes with female surgeons, female patients fared far worse than expected and had higher rates of adverse postoperative events within a year when treated by male surgeons. Deborah Balthazar, STAT, 30 Aug. 2023 Your healthcare provider will guide you on the appropriate timeframe based on your specific needs and postoperative progress. Amber Smith, Discover Magazine, 5 Aug. 2023 Referrals to other specialists, consultations and postoperative follow-ups help ensure that patients follow a path toward long-term recovery and avoid serious postoperative complications. Shiza Abbasi, STAT, 27 Aug. 2022 By casting a spotlight on dietary balance, the team empowers patients to diminish surgical risks and bolster postoperative results. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 20 June 2023 This confluence of expertise forms a cohesive network that provides unwavering support from the preoperative stage through to postoperative care. Jon Stojan, USA TODAY, 20 June 2023 And while hospital stays are growing shorter, they are still extended in some cases by the lack of nursing home beds available for patients who are in postoperative recovery or need long-term care — a problem exacerbated by staffing shortages at long-term care facilities. Karen Brooks Harper, San Antonio Express-News, 6 Feb. 2022 Additional research published this week compared postoperative care instructions for eight common pediatric procedures that were provided by ChatGPT, Google and Stanford University. Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 28 Apr. 2023 Even a normal recovery involves bruising, bleeding and painful swelling, which has led to a homegrown system of postoperative recovery houses arising along the border. Jacey Fortin, New York Times, 17 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'postoperative.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

International Scientific Vocabulary

First Known Use

1872, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of postoperative was in 1872

Dictionary Entries Near postoperative

Cite this Entry

“Postoperative.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/postoperative. Accessed 3 Oct. 2023.

Medical Definition

postoperative

adjective
post·​op·​er·​a·​tive ˈpōst-ˈäp-(ə-)rət-iv How to pronounce postoperative (audio)
1
: relating to, occurring in, or being the period following a surgical operation
postoperative care
2
: having recently undergone a surgical operation
a postoperative patient
postoperatively adverb

More from Merriam-Webster on postoperative

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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