Patient Education

Stapedectomy

Post Operative Instructions

• Transportation: Have the family member or friend who takes you home drive slowly, to minimize dizziness and nausea.

• Pain: You will receive a prescription for pain medication and one for nausea/dizziness. They should be filled at your earliest convenience. You will not routinely receive a prescription for antibiotics.

• Cotton balls: The cotton ball placed in your ear should be left in place for 8-12 hours, unless it becomes saturated with blood. Thereafter, it should be changed as often as needed (typically a few times daily).

• FIRST 24-72 HOURS: Lie quietly with your head elevated. Do not bend over.
  
• 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.

• 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. After two weeks they may be removed at home, unless you have an appointment with your doctor. If that is the case, he will remove them in the office.

• Care of Stitches: Sometimes stitches are placed beneath the skin, and do not need to be removed. If stitches are placed near the ear canal opening, they are usually removed in the office within 7-10 days after surgery. Any incisions 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. Always finish each treatment by putting 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 gently 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 at any time.

• 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.You may also hold plastic wrap over the affected ear while showering.

• 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. You may also find a temporary reduction of hearing during the first week in the ear operated on. Don’t be discouraged, this is also typical. It will improve.

• Taste: You may experience a noticeable change in taste on one side of your tongue. People often describe it as a “metallic” sensation. This will slowly disappear over the next few weeks.

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

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

• Fever: If you have a fever over 101 degrees 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.