Tonsillectomy (cont.)
What happens after surgery?
After surgery,
the patient will be taken to the recovery
room
where a nurse will monitor them. Relatives are generally invited
into the recovery room as the patient becomes aware of their
surroundings, and if the patient is a child, they will be looking for his or her
parent(s) or caregiver. The patient, will be able to
go home
the same day as the surgery once they have fully
recovered from
the anesthetic. This usually takes several hours. The patient will need
a friend
or family member to pick them up from the surgical facility to
take them
home. A relative, caregiver, or friend should spend the first night after surgery with
the patient.
When the patient arrives home from the surgical facility, they
should go to bed and rest with the head elevated on 2-3
pillows. Keeping the head elevated above the heart minimizes
edema and
swelling. Applying an ice pack to the neck may help decrease
swelling.
The patient may get out of bed with assistance to use
the
bathroom. Visitors should be kept to a minimum since they may
unknowingly
expose the patient to infection, or cause over excitement. If the patient
is
constipated, avoid straining and take a stool softener or a gentle laxative.
Once the patient has recovered from the anesthetic, if tolerable, a light, soft, and
cool diet
is recommended.
Avoid hot liquids for several days. Even though the patient may be
hungry
immediately after surgery, it is best to feed slowly to prevent
postoperative nausea and vomiting. Occasionally,
the patient may vomit
one or two
times immediately after surgery. However, if it persists, the
doctor may
prescribe medications to settle the stomach. It is important to
remember
that a good overall diet with ample rest promotes healing.
Weight loss is
very common following a tonsillectomy. The patient need not worry about
nutritional requirements during the recovery so long as they are drinking adequate amounts of fluid.
The patient may be prescribed antibiotics after
surgery. The patient should take all of the antibiotics prescribed by the
doctor. Some form
of a
narcotic will also be prescribed (usually acetaminophen/Tylenol
with codeine), and is to be taken as needed. If
the patient requires
narcotics he or she is
cautioned not to drive. If the patient has nausea or vomiting
postoperatively,
the patient may be prescribed anti-emesis medications
such as promethazine
(Phenergan) or ondansetron
(Zofran). If the patient or caregivers have any questions or feel the
patient is
developing a reaction to any of these medications, a doctor should
be consulted. Patients should not take or give any other medications,
either
prescribed or over-the-counter, unless they have been discussed them
the
doctor.
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