Tympanotomy with Ear Tubes

		Post-Operative Instructions
		Tonsillectomy
		Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy
		Typanotomy with Ear Tubes
		Tympanotomy with Ear Tubes and Adenoidectomy

		Patient Advice

OTTAWA SHORES E.N.T. ASSOCIATES, P.C.
616-935-6966

The recovery from ear tube surgery is generally brief and well tolerated. Most patients will have no significant discomfort, acting and feeling normal within hours of the procedure.
Please use the antibiotic ear drops as given or prescribed, 3-4 drops in each operated ear, 3 times a day for 3 days. Keep the ear drop medicine in a cool, dark place until it expires, as it may be used to treat future infections in the unlikely event they occur.
You may commonly see drainage from the ears for several days, and this may be bloody. This is quite normal and should not be alarming unless it persists more than 5 days or is accompanied by increasing pain.
Children may commonly pull at or gesture towards their ears for some weeks after the operation. This is generally because the are continuing a learned behavior from when their ears hurt them, or because they are irritated by the much louder environment they experience when their hearing improves after the operation. In either case, the behavior will decrease and stop with time. It rarely indicates infection.
An actual ear infection is usually easy to identify following ear tube surgery, because a discolored and/or foul-smelling discharge will be found in the ear canal or on clothing or sheets since it comes out directly through the ear tube into the ear canal. Please call Dr. Wilson if this should occur.
There are often questions regarding water exposure. Note that only a minority of patients will experience complications from casual water exposure (splashing in a bathtub or swimming at the surface of a pool) so Dr. Wilson does not recommend any special water precautions, unless the patient experiences drainage or pain within 24 hours of such exposure. Please call him if this occurs. Note that lakes are probably riskier than swimming pools, and that swimming under the water or diving is NOT recommended.
If there are questions or problems you may contact Dr. Wilson at cell #616-405-6956.

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Any information provided on this Web site should not be considered medical advice or a substitute for a consultation with a physician. If you have a medical problem, contact your local physician for diagnosis and treatment.