SWLn1 ClllCL: 303-982-4848, CSv uA? Su8CL8? CLn1L8: 303-913-3830, P?

SlClAnS MLulCAL
CLn1L8: 303-428-3400

ur. uavld 8rown ur. MaLLhew Plnsley ur. eLer Shepard ur. 1homas 1homason ur. Llly Love

1ons|||ectomy |n Adu|ts

A LonslllecLomy lnvolves removlng Lhe Lonslls. 1he procedure Lakes 30-43 mlnuLes and ls
usually performed as an ouLpaLlenL L aL a Same uay Surgery CenLer under general
anesLhesla. normally, Lhe paLlenL wlll remaln ln Lhe recovery room for one Lo Lwo hours
for observaLlon.

1onslls are ofLen removed for recurrenL or chronlc Lonsll lnfecLlons or sLrep LhroaL LhaL
cannoL be successfully LreaLed by anLlbloLlcs. Less commonly, Lhey are removed Lo LreaL
sleep apnea. 1he Lonslls are lmmune sysLem lymphold Llssues ln Lhe back of Lhe mouLh.

otent|a| Comp||cat|ons
8|eed|ng: ApproxlmaLely 2-3 of paLlenLs have bleedlng afLer surgery. WlLh Lhe
excepLlon of small specks of blood from Lhe nose or ln Lhe sallva, brlghL red blood
should noL be seen. lf such bleedlng occurs, conLacL your physlclan lmmedlaLely or go Lo
Lhe emergency room. Call an ambulance lf necessary. 8leedlng ls an lndlcaLlon LhaL Lhe
scabs have fallen off Loo early, and lmmedlaLe medlcal aLLenLlon ls requlred.
Dehydrat|on: Some paLlenLs experlence slgnlflcanL dehydraLlon afLer surgery due Lo Lhe
paln wlLh swallowlng and may requlre lnLravenous flulds ln Lhe Lmergency ueparLmenL.
?ou should urlnaLe Lwlce dally, aL mlnlmum. ?ou musL call our cllnlc or presenL Lo Lhe
Lmergency ueparLmenL ls Lhls occurs.
Strep 1hroat or Sore 1hroats: When Lonslls are removed Lo eradlcaLe sLrep LhroaL or
recurrlng and chronlc sore LhroaLs, lL ls rare for Lhese sympLoms Lo perslsLs or noL
lmprove
A|rway obstruct|on: ln Lhe paLlenL wlLh sleep apnea undergolng a LonslllecLomy, Lhe
obsLrucLlon may worsen ln Lhe early posL-operaLlve course, usually ln Lhe flrsL 24 hours
afLer surgery. 1hls ls usually due Lo swelllng ln Lhe back of Lhe LhroaL and may also be
due Lo anesLhesla and paln medlcaLlons. 1hese paLlenLs may requlre overnlghL
hosplLallzaLlon for observaLlon. lf you are LreaLed wlLh CA, you wlll need Lo wear Lhls
afLer surgery.



er|operat|ve Instruct|ons

1he fo||ow|ng 8LICkL and AI1Lk |nstruct|ons can he|p you obta|n the best poss|b|e
resu|ts from your surgery. If you have any quest|ons, p|ease ca|| one of the nurses.
Make sure a|| of your quest|ons are answered before surgery!

8LICkL SUkGLk
1ell your docLor all Lhe medlcaLlons and herbal supplemenLs your chlld ls Laklng. 1hls
lncludes boLh prescrlpLlon and over Lhe counLer medlcaLlons.

lf you develop a cold or any oLher lnfecLlon durlng Lhe Lwo weeks prlor Lo surgery,
please noLlfy our offlce lmmedlaLely. 1he docLor may wanL Lo posLpone Lhe surgery unLll
Lhe lllness resolves.

lan Lo spend 10-14 days away from school or work afLer surgery. 1hls Llme frame ls
provlded as a guldellne slnce each lndlvldual's recovery Llme wlll vary. lease posLpone
ouL of Lown plans for aL leasL Lwo weeks afLer surgery.

NIGn1 8LICkL SUkGLk
uC nC1 LA1 C8 u8lnk An?1PlnC Al1L8 MlunlCP1 unLLSS lnS18uC1Lu 1C uC SC 8?
1PL AnLS1PLSlCLCClS1. ll ?Cu LA1 C8 u8lnk Al1L8 MlunlCP1, ?Cu8 Su8CL8? WlLL
8L CAnCLLLLu. ?ou can conLlnue Lo drlnk flulds up unLll mldnlghL.

8emove all nall pollsh, make-up and [ewelry (waLches, earrlngs, all body plerclngs,
necklaces, eLc.).

AI1Lk SUkGLk - when the tons|||ectomy pat|ent comes home:
MosL adulLs requlre 10 Lo 14 days Lo recover from surgery. Some may recover more
qulckly, oLhers can Lake up Lo 3 weeks for a full recovery. 1he followlng guldellnes are
recommended:

a|n: All paLlenLs wlll have mlld Lo severe LhroaL paln for 7 Lo 14 days afLer surgery, buL
poLenLlally up Lo 3 weeks. Some may also complaln of referred paln ln Lhe ear, neck, or
[aw.

a|n Contro|: ?our physlclan wlll prescrlbe paln medlaLlon afLer surgery. MosL paLlenLs
are prescrlbed LorLab (hydrocodone wlLh 1ylenol). lbuprofen should be glven as well. lL
ls lmperaLlve Lo dose Lhe medlcaLlon ln mllllllLers ln a provlded syrlnge (noL Lo be dosed
ln Leaspoons or Lablespoons due Lo Lhe poLenLlal for error and subsequenL overdoslng).

Dr|nk|ng and D|et: 1he mosL lmporLanL Lhlng for recovery ls Lo drlnk plenLy of flulds.
?ou may have waLer, non-acldlc [ulce, decaffelnaLed sofL drlnks, and popslcles. Avold
mllk producLs ln Lhe flrsL 24 hours, buL afLer LhaL Lhe paLlenL may eaL puddlng, yogurL,
and lce cream. Some paLlenLs may experlence nausea and vomlLlng for Lhe flrsL 1 Lo 2
days afLer Lhe surgery. 1hls ls from Lhe general anesLhesla and should resolves on lLs
own. AnLl-emeLlcs wlll be prescrlbed for rellef of nausea. ConLacL your physlclan lf Lhere
are slgns of dehydraLlon: urlnaLlng less Lhan 2-3 Llmes per day or crylng wlLhouL Lears.

Slowly progress Lo a sofL dleL as LoleraLed. 1he paLlenL needs Lo eaL sofL food for 7 - 10
days afLer surgery. CLher Lhan avoldlng mllk producLs for Lhe flrsL day, Lhere are no
oLher sLrlcL resLrlcLlons. SofL foods lnclude pasLa, eggs, poLaLoes and bread. Avold foods
llke plzza, poLaLo chlps and LoasL and oLher scraLchy foods for aL leasL Lwo weeks. 1he
sooner Lhe chlld eaLs and chews, Lhe qulcker Lhe recovery. aLlenLs may be relucLanL Lo
eaL because of LhroaL paln, and some welghL loss may occur, whlch ls regalned qulckly
once a resumlng a normal dleL.

Iever: A low-grade fever 99.0 - 101.0 l may be observed foe a few days afLer surgery.
ConLacL your physlclan lf Lhe fever ls greaLer Lan 102 l.

Act|v|ty: Avoldance of sLrenuous acLlvlLy ls requlred for 7 - 10 days afLer surgery.
8edresL, wlLh Lhe head sllghLly elevaLed on 2-3 plllows ls encouraged for Lhe flrsL couple
of days. AcLlvlLy should be llmlLed Lo quleL lndoor acLlvlLles. AfLer one week, acLlvlLy may
be lncreased slowly. 1he paLlenL may reLurn Lo school or works once resumlng normal
eaLlng and drlnklng, and paln medlcaLlon ls no longer requlred. 1here ls NC heavy llfLlng,
sLralnlng, aLhleLlc acLlvlLles or sporLs for 2 weeks. 1ravel away from home ls noL
recommended for 2 weeks followlng surgery. A baLh or shower ls okay aL any Llme. An
lce pack Lo Lhe LhroaL can brlng some rellef and help wlLh swelllng.

Scabs: A scab wlll form where Lhe Lonslls and adenolds were removed. 1hese scabs are
Lhlck, whlLe and cause bad breaLh. MosL scabs fall off ln small pleces 3-10 days afLer
surgery and are swallowed.

8|eed|ng: osL-operaLlve bleedlng can be a serlous compllcaLlon and ls mosL llkely Lo
occur 3 - 10 days afLer surgery. lL only occurs ln 2-3 of paLlenLs. WlLh Lhe excepLlon of
small specks of blood from Lhe nose or ln Lhe sallva, brlghL red blood should noL be seen.
lf such bleedlng occurs, conLacL your physlclan lmmedlaLely or presenL Lo Lhe
emergency room. Mlnor bleedlng may be conLrolled by gargllng lce waLer for 2 mlnuLes.
Call an ambulance lf bleedlng ls severe. 8leedlng ls an lndlcaLlon LhaL Lhe scabs have
fallen off Loo early, and lmmedlaLe medlcal aLLenLlon ls ofLen requlred.

Med|cat|ons:
An1l8lC1lCS: ?our physlclan may or may noL prescrlbe an anLlbloLlc. lf ls lmporLanL LhaL
Lhe enLlre course be compleLed. AnLlbloLlcs can lmprove wound heallng and prevenL
lnfecLlon.

Aln MLulCA1lCn: 1he paln medlcaLlon LhaL ls prescrlbed may be 1ylenol based wlLh a
narcoLlc, so drowslness may be experlenced. 1he paLlenL cannoL go Lo work or school,
nor drlve a car as long as paln medlcaLlon are belng Laken. 1he paln medlcaLlon musL be
Laken as dlrecLed, buL do not exceed Lhe prescrlbed dose. lf severe paln perslsLs, please
call Lhe offlce.

CU MUS1 LA1 SCML1nING 8LICkL 1AkING AIN MLDICA1ICN 1C kLVLN1
NAUSLA AND VCMI1ING. Suggest|ons: ogurt, app|esauce, 8roth.

An1l-nAuSLA MLulCA1lCn: ?ou may or may noL have been glven a prescrlpLlon for
anLl-nausea medlcaLlon, please Lake as dlrecLed. lf you were noL glven a prescrlpLlon
and you experlence nausea and/or vomlLlng, please call Lhe offlce.

ICLLCW U ACIN1MLN1:
A posL op Lelephone call wlll be made Lhe day afLer surgery and Lhen agaln ln 3-6 weeks.
lf you feel an appolnLmenL ls needed, please call Lhe offlce aL 303-982-4848 Lo requesL
appolnLmenL wlLh your docLor.

kLASCNS 1C CALL CUk DCC1Ck:
! lever of 101.3 degrees or greaLer.
! lncreased bleedlng or dralnage from Lhe nose or mouLh.
! Severe paln noL relleved by medlcaLlon.
! vomlLlng 2 or more Llmes ln one day, afLer Lhe flrsL 24 hours.
! ulfflculLy breaLhlng or swallowlng.
! WelLs, Plves or 8ashes LhaL appear afLer Laklng prescrlpLlon medlcaLlon(s).