Care following these procedures is essentially the same as the other parts of the gastrointestinal tract. The patient may have a long gastrointestinal tube in place that should be cared and monitored closely. No excessive drainage from incisions should be noted, unless drains have been placed. Fluid and electrolyte balance must be monitored carefully. Remember that the loss of sodium and bicarbonate ions will be great, resulting in imbalance, and that fluid losses during surgery may be significant, but fluid overload must be avoided (Schick & Windle, 2016).