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3621 21'" su eet, >wlr 300

Lubbock. Teus 79410
(306)7915331
FAX (806) 7929417
Tonsillectomy and Adenoidectomy Information Sheet
TlJ Onl3S F Nc:ll, MD, 1'1\.
Stan E. Potocki, MD.
Otolaryngology-head and neck sureri)'
E.,. Nose &. Thr~1
I.A5CT Sur,coy
llo""t TtS1,"~ &:
HannI: Ajds
Follow the aspirin warnings for 2 we-eks If tonsils are removed, J will give you pain medicine
that contains Tylenol and a synthetic codeine (unless allergic). This pain medication will help but
unfortunately will not relieve pain completely. It takes about 4-7 days f C 1( 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. Y ou can even substitute plain Tylenol. Do DOtgive 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 J iqu 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.