Surgery to the Ear: You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of an hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.
Leaflet Details
| Title | Surgery to the Ear |
| Department | Day Surgery Unit |
| Author(s) | Rosamma Babu, RN |
| Review Date | January 2022 |
| Next Review | January 2025 |
| Download | A5 Booklet PDF |
| Accessibility Options | Click on the Recite Me button to show our accessibility resources |
Patient Information
After your surgery
- You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of an hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.
Dressings
- You may have a head bandage which will be removed before you go home. You will have an antiseptic dressing inside your ear and cotton wool at the opening of your ear canal. The antiseptic dressing will stay in until you are seen in the clinic. You need to change the cotton wool once a day or when it looks dirty or wet. You need to be careful when changing the cotton wool to avoid disturbing the antiseptic dressing.
Wound care
- You may have slight bleeding from your ear, this usually settles down after a day or two. The cotton wool should absorb any discharges, you can gently dab the outer ear with damp cotton wool if there are any dried blood. DO NOT attempt to clean the inner ear or use any cotton buds as this may push the antiseptic dressing too far in.
- The ear might feel blocked due to the antiseptic dressing. This will feel better once the dressings have been removed.
- You must keep the ear dry for 6-8 weeks after surgery or until instructed by your surgeon.
Stitches
- All stitches are dissolvable. This can take a few weeks to dissolve.
Pain
- Your ear will feel quite sore; this is common and will settle in the next few days. You need to take regular pain relief to help ease this.
Activities
- You need to take it easy for a couple of weeks. You are advised to take short walks the day after surgery, slowly building up to your normal activities.
- You can have a shower the day after your surgery, taking care not to get your ear wet. You can have a bath but do not to dip your head in the water. Use cotton wool with Vaseline to keep water from accidentally going into your ear.
- You should not drive for 2 weeks after surgery and until you are confident that you can turn your head very quickly without dizziness or pain. It is advisable to check with your insurance company as they may have different policies.
- Depending on the type of job that you do, you can return to work after 2 weeks. If you have any concerns after this time, you need to discuss this with your surgeon.
Blood clot prevention
- It is important that you resume normal activities as advised and keep active. You must wear the anti-embolic stockings given to you for 7 days, both during the day and at night. They can be removed while you have a shower and applied again afterwards.
- Depending on your medical risk factors, you may be prescribed blood-thinning injections to take after your operation. These help prevent blood clots such as in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or the lung (pulmonary embolus).
Follow up appointment
- You will have an outpatient appointment in 2-3 weeks’ time or as requested by your surgeon. The details will be posted to you by your surgeon’s secretary.
What to watch out for:
Please contact your GP if:
- The pain relief you are taking is not sufficient
- If you develop a high temperature, severe ear pain and / or offensive ear discharge
Please contact the ENT clinic if:
- If the antiseptic dressing has accidentally come off before your scheduled outpatient appointment
- If you experience vertigo (dizziness)
Please attend Accident and Emergency department if:
- The bleeding becomes heavy and uncontrolled
- If there is a sudden change in your hearing accompanied by severe headache and excessive dizziness
Useful contact numbers:
- ENT clinic Ashford Hospital 01784 884346 Monday to Friday
- Day Surgery Unit Ashford Hospital 01784 884609 or 01784 884189 between 8am-9pm Monday to Friday
- Clandon ward Royal Surrey County Hospital 01483 464067 after 9pm on weekdays, all day weekend and bank holidays
- ASPH Main Switchboard 01932 872000 and ask to be connected to your surgeon’s secretary for appointment queries
If you feel unwell and needed urgent medical care, please go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department immediately and bring your discharge letter with you.
