TlJOnl3S

F Nc:ll, MD, 1'1\.

Stan E. Potocki, MD.

Otolaryngology-head

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and n eck sureri)'

3621 21'" su eet, >wlr 300

Lubbock. Teus 79410
(306)7915331
FAX (806)

E.,. Nose &. Thr~1

I.A5CT
Sur ,coy
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7929417

HannI:

Tonsillectomy

and Adenoidectomy

Information

Ajds

Sheet

Follow the aspirin warnings for 2 we-eks If tonsils are removed, J will give you pain medicine
and a synthetic codeine (unless allergic). This pain medication will help but
unfortunately will not relieve pain completely. It takes about 4-7 days fC1( severe-discomfort in
children under 10 to improve. In adults and older children, the recovery period is up 10 2 weeks. 1
advise staying home from work and school for I week Adults will typically have some soreness
of the throat (but no( severe allcr 2 weeks) for up to I month .
... once the pain is less, try using smaller doses of the pain medicine as it can cause
constipation and nausea. You can even substitute plain Tylenol. Do DOt give Tylenol and the
medkhre-J-pn yow III .~ salIM time. Remember that my pain medicine coota~ Tylenol and
too much CAll be harmful .
.. .expect to have difficulty with food for several days. 1t will even hurt to swallow Jiqu ids,
but liquids must be forced down 10 prevent dehydration. Dehydration occasionally requires
hospitalization for IV fluids. Try pushing liquids about 30-45 minutes after L'1epain medicine, as
this Is the best the throat will feel. Experiment with room temperature verses cold fluids to see
what works best .
.. .milk product . arc safe l"ui sometuues they cause irritation because they coat the throat, I
recommend water-based Popsicle's
... once food is tolerated, be very careful to only eat very soft foods for 14 days from
SUIg~.
There are scabs in the back of the throat for two weeks that could be dislodged by solid
or scratchy food and cause bleeding .
... drops of blood from the nose and blood mixed with saliva in the mouth are aormal for 2
weeks. If more than this amount is encounte ed, call me as this can represent an emergency .
... vomiting in the first 24 hours after surgery will commonly contain blood clots. Call me if
a c-l~ is seen in vomit after this time. If nausea is present, antibiotic can be skipped for II dos-e.
. .. avoid strenuous activity for 2 weeks after surgery. Activities such as going to the mall,
seeing a movie, and being outside when its not hot are okay. A void exercise during tpis time .
.. .expect a low-grade fever (up to 101.5) for the rust week. This needs no medication
.,. expect ear pain that radiates from the throat for up to 2 weeks .
... while the frequency of throat infections should be much less without the tonsils infection
of the throat can still occur.
Risks: The biggest risk is bleeding; follow the above instructions to lessen this risk. It is common
to have some temporary nasal regurgitation with eating and drinking. In almost all cases, this
resolves by 3-4 weeks. If the tonsils and adenoids are very large, expect the voice to have a
different quality due to the throat having more space.
that contains Tylenol