Care of the ear following exostosis surgery.

 

Doctor Bridger will discuss your operation to remove your exostoses at the time of consultation prior to surgery. Using modern equipment it is usually possible to accomplish this operation with a small incision just above the ear canal. If this is not possible a larger incision behind the ear will be made to stop

 

Patients will usually spend one night in hospital after surgery. The ear will be blocked due to a dressing being placed in it. There will be a small piece of cotton wool in the ear which will be changed regularly by the nursing staff. It is normal for this to be a little bloodstained when it is changed. There will be a small row of sutures just above the ear and antibiotic ointment (chloromycetin) will be placed on these. Usually patients will be placed on an intravenous antibiotic overnight.

 

Patients can usually returned home the day after surgery. Patients will be placed on oral antibiotics for five days (usually keflex )and will continue using chloromycetin ointment twice a day on the small sutures just above the ear. Patients will need to change the cotton wool in their ear three or four times per day depending on how moist it is getting due to a small amount of discharge from the wound in the ear canal. Doctor Bridger will have placed three or four small squares of yellow gauze dressing in the ear canal. These are not to be removed but if one or two do fall out inadvertently do not be concerned by this and do not try to put them back again.

 

It is important to keep the ear dry at this time. Usually post-operative pain is not severe and can be treated with paracetamol and codeine. Pain typically settles after a few days. Occasionally the door may be somewhat painful to 2. This likewise should begin to settle early in the post-operative period.

 

Usually it is recommended that patients rest of 2 to 3 days after surgery. After this most patients can return to work but they must be aware that addressing will remain in the ear and as much they will not be able to hear as well on this side and may have some ringing (tinnitus) in the ear until the dressing is removed.

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Usually patients will return to see Doctor Bridger at two weeks after surgery. At the time of this consultation sutures will be removed as will the ear dressing and the ear will be cleaned. Usually a fresh dressing is placed in the ear canal and antibiotic eardrops may be commenced. Doctor Bridger will be in usually see patients again at 1 to 2 weekly intervals for the next four weeks or so while the ear canal heals. It is important to keep the ear dry during this time will stop

 

You will have been provided with a College of surgeons information brochure about exostosis surgery which does contain useful information on post-operative care. Should there be concerns about the way your ear is healing when in the post-operative period please do not hesitate to contact Doctor Bridger.

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