INSTRUCTIONS for 

TONSILLECTOMY and/or ADENOIDECTOMY

Hugh N. Hazenfield, M.D., F.A.C.S.

  (You may wish to print these instructions.)

• Before Surgery:

   

  • If you wish my office to complete TDI papers, please bring or mail them at least one week prior to your surgery date.  Be certain that your employer and you have completed the respective sections and that you sign and date the papers so that my office can release the information.  We usually return these directly to your employer.

  • Do not take aspirin or any medication containing aspirin, including Alka-Seltzer, for ten days prior to surgery.

  • Be certain all laboratory work has been performed prior to the day of surgery.

  • Call Doctor Hazenfield or his office staff if you have any questions regarding the surgery.

  • Do not eat or drink anything, including water, after midnight prior to surgery.  If even water is consumed, there is danger of aspiration and pneumonia during the administration of the anesthetic.

  • Arrive at the hospital at least one and one-half (1-1/2) hours before the scheduled time of surgery.

• On the Day of Surgery:

   

  • After surgery, if only an adenoidectomy has been performed, the patient is discharged approximately one hour after completion of surgery.  If tonsillectomy has been performed, the patient will be discharged approximately two to six hours after surgery.

   

• The Days after Surgery:

• If a tonsillectomy or a tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy has been performed:

  • Activities:  The patient may not feel well enough to resume normal activities until about one week to ten days after surgery. 

  • Diet:  No hot or spicy foods nor foods that may scratch the throat, such as potato chips or pizza crust, should be eaten until after the first post-operative visit with Doctor Hazenfield.

  • Bleeding:  Any bleeding should be reported to Doctor Hazenfield immediately.  The usual times that bleeding may occur are within twenty-four hours after surgery and again between five and eight days after.  Rarely, this may be serious enough that you may need to go to the emergency room.  Communicating any bleeding to Dr. Hazenfield is extremely important.

  • Doctor Hazenfield will usually give you a prescription for a narcotic pain reliever to be taken by mouth.  If this does not take care of the pain, call the office or Dr. Hazenfield.  Do NOT take any aspirin for ten days. 

 

• If only an adenoidectomy has been performed:

  • Activities:  Normal activities may be resumed between one and three days after surgery, provided the patient feels capable of them.

  • Bleeding:  Any bleeding should be reported to Doctor Hazenfield immediately.  The usual times that bleeding may occur are within twenty-four hours after surgery and again between five and eight days after.  Rarely, this may be serious enough that you may need to go to the emergency room.  Communicating any bleeding to Dr. Hazenfield is extremely important.

  • Diet:  No hot or spicy foods should be eaten for three days after surgery.

  • Medications: Plain Tylenol may be taken in an appropriate dose every four hours.  Do NOT take any aspirin for ten days.  If pain is expected to be severe, Dr. Hazenfield will give you a prescription for a stronger pain medication.

   

• When to call Dr. Hazenfield:

Call Doctor Hazenfield at 622-2626 or through the answering service at 988-2188 if there is any bleeding, a fever above 101 degrees, or if there are any questions about how well the patient is doing.

05.09.2002 by H. N. Hazenfield, M.D., F.A.C.S.  

This may not be reproduced without the written permission of H. N. Hazenfield.