Head and neck surgery

Post operative advice
General advice
 After an anaesthetic, it is common to feel groggy for up to 24 hours. Children are often quite disorientated for the first hour or so. Nausea +/- vomiting is quite common after an anaesthetic. Medication can be given if this is difficult to tolerate.  Depending on the exact operation, pain can vary from very mild to significant. Ask your surgeon about how to manage any expected pain.  Dr Grigg will explain if there are any restrictions in what you can and can’t eat after your operation. Unless you have had an operation on the throat or mouth, there are usually no restrictions.  Arrange for someone else to drive you home from the hospital.
Pain relief
 Paracetamol (Panadol, Chemist’s Own etc): use this regularly (four times a day, spread evenly throughout the day), as your ‘first line’ pain relief. Make sure you use the dose appropriate for your/your child’s weight, rather than purely based on age.  Stronger pain relief: This may be prescribed as an additional medication. You will be given instructions on when to take this and for how long.  Anti-inflammatory medication (e.g. Nurofen): these are usually quite safe to take after head and neck surgery. Talk to your doctor or nurse if you have any specific concerns.
Wound care
 The wound will be dressed with hypa-fix (a white adhesive dressing). It is best to keep this clean and dry until your post operative appointment. If it gets wet then simply pat dry straight away. If the edges start to lift up press them down again  Any drain tube site can be kept covered with a simple dressing for the first few days. After a few days you can leave this dressing off.  After your first appointment, for scar management, Dr Grigg is happy for you to use either silicone tape or silicone based creams available at the pharmacy (i.e. Strataderm) to help minimise your scar.
Voice/swallow
 Dr Grigg will advise whether she anticipates any changes to your voice or swallow. After the anaesthetic it is common to have a coarse or husky voice from the breathing tube. If you feel that your voice is getting softer or harder to project or you are coughing after swallowing then please contact the rooms for further advice.
Activities
 Take the remainder of the day off once you get home from your operation. Sometimes the ‘hangover’ of the anaesthetic can last through the next day, so anticipate having this off. Many people feel well enough to get back to regular activities the next day.  Dr Grigg typically advises one week off work and two weeks off heavy lifting/straining/gym work.  Be careful with driving if you still feel groggy from the anaesthetic, or if the seatbelt or moving your head causes pain.
When to seek medical advice
 A fever of >38 degrees.  New fresh bleeding, increasing swelling, redness or increasing pain around your wound.  Excessive sedation from pain relief tablets.  Severe pain, nausea with vomiting, or severe dizziness, especially if it persists for more than a day.
Follow up
Dr Grigg will advise whether you have sutures that need to be removed and when your first post operative appointment will be; typically 5-10 days after the operation. If you do not receive this at time of booking, please contact the rooms at your earliest convenience on 07 4632 3179‬.