Post-Operative Instructions
Grommet Insertion | Tonsils and Adenoid Surgery |
Endoscopic Sinus Surgery | Septorhinoplasty
Grommet Insertion
Usually only a mild painkiller, such as Paracetamol or perhaps Nurofen, is all that is required. Normally post-operative ear drops may be prescribed for two days following insertion of grommets. This is to minimise the risk of infection.
Sometimes a discharge may be seen from the ear following grommet insertion; this is not unusual and should not cause alarm.
Avoid water getting into the ears, certainly for the first three weeks following surgery. Thereafter, use of a piece of cotton wool mixed with Vaseline in the outer ear canal, covered by a headband, such as a “Band-It”. It is acceptable to resume normal activities the day after surgery. Patients are usually reviewed three weeks after insertion of grommets and if all is well the next appointment will be between six and nine months thereafter.
Grommets normally stay in for an average of 6-9 months. However, it is not unusual for grommets to extrude prematurely, sometimes quite rapidly. This is often associated with a discharging ear. In very rare instances a grommet may not extrude itself and if it is causing problems may need to be removed under a short general anaesthetic. In certain circumstances, and only in adults, can grommets be inserted under application of a local anaesthetic.
Return to topTonsils and Adenoid Surgery
It is very common to get throat and ear pain following tonsils and adenoid surgery. The ear pain is not due to ear infection but due to referred ear pain as the nerves to the throat also serve the ears.
After tonsillectomy the back of the throat has a whitish sloughy appearance, which can thereafter become quite mucky in appearance.
The most important thing following tonsil and adenoid surgery is adequate oral intake, both of fluids and of solids. The process of eating and drinking allows saliva production, which has an antibacterial effect and will facilitate removal of the debris which builds up at the back of the throat. Failure to eat adequately after such surgery runs the risk of infection with secondary haemorrhage.
Bleeding after tonsils and adenoid surgery is rare and occurs within the first eight hours of surgery, in less than 1% of cases. As explained above, failure to eat adequately following surgery can result in infection and the possibility of secondary haemorrhage which occurs 5-7 days following operation.
In the event of bleeding following tonsillectomy contact should be made with the hospital where the operation was carried out for advice. During office hours please contact our practice staff who will contact Mr Patel.
In the event of any emergency where you are unable to obtain adequate medical advice, please note that a member of Mr Patel's ENT team is present 24/7 at St Mary's Hospital in Paddington W2. Please ask to speak to the ENT SHO on duty, who carries bleep number 1311. St Mary’s phone number is 0207 886 6666
Antibiotics are usually given post-operatively following adenotonsillectomy to minimise the risk of infection.
Following tonsil and adenoid surgery voice changes can occur, but these usually recover a few weeks after surgery.
Avoid strenuous exercise for 2 to 3 weeks after tonsil and adenoid surgery.
It is not uncommon for post operative pain to increase day after day reaching a maximum around day 7 – 10 after surgery. Thereafter the pain begins to subside.
Return to topEndoscopic Sinus Surgery
You will be prescribed strong (Voltarol or Diclofenac) or moderate painkillers (Codydramol or Tylex). You should use regular painkillers for the first few days following surgery and after 2 to 3 days your analgesic requirements should begin to subside.
Antibiotics are also given post-operatively for one week following surgery to minimise the risk of post-operative infection.
Following sinus surgery, post-operative bleeding of a minimal nature is quite normal. If there is constant fresh bleeding after you have returned home, please contact the ward of the hospital where you had the surgery. During office hours please contact the practice staff who will contact Mr Patel.
Following irrigation of the nose, if advised to do so, apply either Betnesol nasal drops or Flixonase nasal spray.
Restrict any strenuous activity for at least 2 to 3 weeks after sinus surgery.
You will be reviewed in the outpatient department a week following surgery to remove debris from the sinus cavities.
Return to topSeptorhinoplasty
Following septorhinoplasty surgery you will be sent home with a cast over the nose, which is to stay undisturbed for one week. You will be given painkillers, both strong and moderate
You will be reviewed in the outpatient department one week after surgery for removal of the cast. After removal of the cast, the skin under the cast will have developed blocked pores. You should use an exfoliating facial scrub to remove the debris from the pores.
Some Sutures used during your surgery will not be of a dissolving type and will need to be removed. This will be done between 7 – 14 days following operation.
Return to topLaryngoscopy/Oesophagoscopy/Laser to Larynx
Conditions affecting the upper aero-digestive tract such as vocal cord polyps or suspicious ulcers may need to be examined whilst the patient is under a general anaesthetic. Examination of the upper aero-digestive tract is known as a Panendoscopy.
Panendoscopy is done using rigid hollow tubes allowing direct visualization of the affected area. Combined with an operating microscope a magnified view of the larynx can be obtained allowing small lesions to be excised using delicate instruments or utilizing a laser.
This type of examination requires the patient to lie on their back with the neck extended backwards and mouth open wide. This can sometimes be technically difficult if the patient has an arthritic or short neck, small mouth opening or prominent teeth. Indeed the teeth can be at risk if already loose from dental disease.
Following this type of procedure the patient will feel discomfort in the throat and a feeling of being bruised internally. Symptoms usually disappear in a few days.
After laryngeal surgery, voice rest is recommended for 7 – 10 days and thereafter a Speech Therapist may be needed.