Patient Education

Chronic Ear Surgery

Post Operative Instructions

• FIRST 24-72 HOURS: Your doctor will tell you whether to follow Option A or Option B.
  
  Option A: You may remove the dressing the next day after surgery. You may replace the cotton ball after you have removed the dressing.
  Option B: Do not remove the dressing placed by your surgeon! This should only be done by the doctor or nurse in the office 3-5 days after your surgery.

• NO SMOKE! Smoking, smokeless tobacco products, and second-hand smoke increase your chances of bleeding and infection following your surgery.

• WARNINGS:
  
  * Blowing of Nose: Do not blow your nose for two weeks following surgery. Also try to avoid sneezing, but if unavoidable, sneeze with your mouth open. If you develop a cold, sniffing is OK. After 2 weeks, you may gently blow your nose, one side at a time.
  
  * Bending Over: Do not bend over for at least 1 week following surgery. (It creates pressure buildup in the head.) If you must bend over, bend by squatting, not flexing from the hip.
  
  * Physical Exercise: Even if you feel well, do not engage in any vigorous activity (especially sports), until after your post-op office visit. No lifting over 10 lbs.

• ROUTINE: If you follow these restrictions, you may return to work/school when you feel well enough.

• Cotton Balls: After your ear bandage is removed, you will need to replace the cotton ball several times each day (or as needed) to absorb the drainage from your ear. The color of the drainage is important. Blood-tinged or brown is normal, but if your drainage becomes yellow, green or has a foul odor, call your doctor.

• Steri-Strips: If there is an incision behind your ear, it may be covered by Steri-Strips. If so, leave these where they are. They will stay attached for about 2 weeks. Keeping them dry is all the care they should need. If your next appointment is more than 2 weeks after surgery, you may remove the Steri-strips yourself at home.

• Stitches: Don’t irritate your sutures (“stitches”) by picking at them or scratching around them. If you have sutures behind your ear, they will usually be removed in the office 10-14 days after your surgery.

• Care of Stitches: Your incision should gently be cleaned twice a day by rubbing in the same direction as the incision with peroxide on a cotton swab. Continue this until no crusting is present. Continue twice each day for a week after removing the Steri-Strips or ear bandage. Always finish each treatment by applying a thin layer of an antibiotic ointment (E.g. Bacitracin, Polysporin, etc.).

• Packing: Your ear canal will be filled with a packing material that will dissolve on its own. Leave it in place.

• Cleansing: Feel free to gently wipe your outer ear with a soft cloth or cotton swabs to remove dried blood. If your ear is too tender, wait until you can tolerate it. NEVER use cotton swabs to clean the ear canal.

• Hygiene: Feel free to wash your hair 3 days after your surgery. Always keep your ear canal dry by coating a cotton ball with antibiotic ointment and placing it in the outermost part of your ear canal.

• Pain & Drainage: The amount of drainage and your discomfort from pain should decrease over time. You may want to take Ibuprophen or Tylenol for relief from mild pain in the meantime.

• Hearing: You may hear some unusual noises in your ear, such as crackling or popping. This is part of the normal path to recovery; don’t be alarmed.

• Ear Pain: It is common to have a sharp, momentary pain when swallowing.

• Numbness: The top half of your ear may feel numb for several months after surgery before returning to normal.

• Taste: You may experience a noticeable change in taste on one side of your tongue. People often describe it as a “metallic” sensation. This usually improves within several months.

• Disorientation: It is not uncommon to feel slightly dizzy or lightheaded for a week after surgery. This will pass.

• Travel: You may fly 3 days following surgery. Whenever you fly, take an over-the-counter decongestant and use Afrin 12-Hour Nose Spray 30 minutes before takeoff. Before the plane descends, spray your nose again with Afrin. Use this procedure whenever you fly in the future. Use the same procedure when driving at high altitudes.

• Bleeding: If you experience prolonged, worsened, or severe bleeding from the ear, contact your surgeon immediately.

• Fever: If you have a fever over 101° on two consecutive readings.

• Dizziness: You experience severe dizziness.

• Pain: If pain increases despite prescribed pain medication.

• Redness: If you have redness in the ear area.

• Drainage: If you have pus or foul-smelling drainage from the ear.