Sinus surgery is used to open blocked sinuses, drain the sinus passages and allow the infection to gradually resolve. There are new techniques available for sinus surgery, which cause less swelling, bruising, bleeding, and pain than before. Please review the following carefully to ensure that you do your part towards a recovery that is as uncomplicated as possible.

DON'T EAT OR DRINK AFTER MIDNIGHT
THE NIGHT BEFORE SURGERY

DON'T  - take aspirin, Ibuprofen, or any other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs during the week prior to surgery. Please check with your doctor to find out if there are any more restrictions for prescription or over-the-counter medicines (including herbal medicines).

The morning of your surgery, PLEASE make sure you take all approved medication including high blood pressure or heart medication.  The Anesthesiologist will go over with you the approved medicines during your pre-operative visit. However, only have a SIP of water.  DO NOT drink a lot of water.  Your stomach is to be empty for the surgery.

DIET:  The patient is usually started on liquids because of nasal congestion and difficulty eating and chewing, however, the patient can eat anything with which they feel comfortable.

ACTIVITY:  Blowing the nose is to be avoided if possible during the first week.  Sniffing saline (salt water) up into the nose and spitting out the material that runs down the back is the best way of cleaning the nose during the first week.  Any type of heavy activity, lifting, straining, or work in a bent-over position is to be avoided.  Bed rest is not required.  Light work is fine.

 

FOLLOW-UP:  The patient will normally be seen in the office the week after surgery for cleaning out any crusts that develop in the nose or handling any other problems that may develop.  They may be seen sooner if there are problems that cannot wait.

 

SYMPTOMS:  The patient should expect to be very stuffy for the first 24-hours and moderately congested for the next 3-4 days.  The nose will not be fully open until about 10-14 days after surgery.  It is not unusual to run a low-grade fever between 99 and 100 degrees orally, for the first 24-hours after surgery, and a black tarry bowel movement about 2-3 days after surgery is also not unusual.  One should expect some oozing of bloody material after cleaning the nose that should promptly stop in less than 5 minutes.  One should expect some dark bloody-looking mucus coming from the nose and sinuses for anywhere from 5-10 days after surgery.

 

MEDICATIONS:  The patient will normally go home on a pain tablet or liquid pain medication.  The dosage ______ is every 4-hours as needed.  The patient will also normally go home with an anti-nausea suppository, which is Phenergan.  The dosage is _____ suppository every 4-hours as needed.  The patient will go home on Neo-Synephrine Drops to use for the first week.  The dosage is 3 drops to each nostril 4 times a day.  The patient will also have saline (salt water) when he/she leaves for home to be used 4 times a day after the nasal drop the first week and twice a day for the second week.  Aspirin should be avoided for the first week after surgery.

 

SMOKING:  I would prefer that none of my patients smoked.  After surgery they should avoid smoking for at least two weeks.  This allows the nasal and sinus mucosa to heal.

 

If you think of other questions, please ask either the nurse prior to discharge or call the doctor.