Your Home Care after Endolymphatic Sac Decompression
You can expect to return from surgery with a large dressing over your ear and head. There will be an incision behind your ear. It is common to feel some pain, so use your pain medicine if you need it. You may have a small amount of blood-stained drainage from your ear.
What to Do
1. Avoid strenuous activity for 2 weeks, or for as long as your doctor tells you. No jogging, competitive sports, swimming or lifting more than 15 pounds.
2. Check your incision for any signs of infection. Watch for:
- Redness
- Swelling
- Tenderness
- Warmth at the site
- Any pus-like drainage.
3. Keep the incision behind your ear dry for 2 days. Do not shower or wash your hair for 2 days.
4. Check with your doctor before air travel. It is often 4 weeks before you will be able to travel by air to avoid pressure changes in your ear.
When to Call Your Doctor
- Excess bleeding (bleeding that soaks a gauze dressing in 10 minutes or less and lasts for one hour).
- Temperature greater than 100.4º F for two readings taken 4 hours apart.
- Pain that is not relieved by medicine.
- Any signs of infection.
- Sudden dizziness.
- Any clear fluid leaking from your nose.
Phone Numbers
ENT Clinic, Monday to Friday, 8:00 am to 5:00 pm (608) 263-6190
After hours, weekends, and holidays, this number will give you the paging operator. Ask for the ENT doctor on-call. Leave your name, area code and phone number. The doctor will call you back.
If you live out of the area, please call the paging operator at 1-800-323-8942.
The Spanish version of this Health Facts for You is #7147.
The information provided should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed physician should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Call 911 for all medical emergencies. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited.
Last Updated: 06/24/2011
Copyright © 06/01/2011 University of Wisconsin Hospitals and Clinics Authority. All rights reserved. Produced by the Department of Nursing. UWH #5319
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