Home

helps physicians and healthcare professionals

Erectile Dysfunction

helps physicians and healthcare professionals

Doctor123.org

helps physicians and healthcare professionals

Parotidectomy Discharge Instructions

para>This is a series of images showing how to care for your wound. They include washing your hands, having the doctor take out your stitches or staples, not removing the small pieces of tape over the wound, taking care of your dressing, and watching for signs of infection like pus or redness around the wound.View Original

This is a series of images showing how to care for your wound. They include washing your hands, having the doctor take out your stitches or staples, not removing the small pieces of tape over the wound, taking care of your dressing, and watching for signs of infection like pus or redness around the wound.

View Original

What care is needed at home?


  • Ask your doctor what you need to do when you go home. Make sure you ask questions if you do not understand what the doctor says. This way you will know what you need to do.
  • Keep your head raised on 2 pillows when you lie down or sleep in a recliner. Ask your doctor how long you should sleep with your head raised.
  • If you have a drain tube, ask your doctor what care is needed.
  • Talk to your doctor about how to care for your cut site. Ask your doctor about:
    • When you should change your bandages
    • When you may take a bath or shower and wash your hair
    • If you need to be careful with lifting things over 10 pounds
    • When you may go back to your normal activities like work or driving
  • Be sure to wash your hands before and after touching your wound or dressing.
  • Avoid movements that have you bend over and move your head forward.

What follow-up care is needed?


  • Your doctor will ask you to make visits to the office to check on your progress. Be sure to keep these visits.
  • If you have stitches or staples, you will need to have them taken out. Your doctor will often want to do this in 1 to 2 weeks.

What drugs may be needed?


The doctor may order drugs to: ‚  
  • Help with pain and swelling
  • Prevent infection

Will physical activity be limited?


You may need to limit your activity for a few weeks until you fully recover. Talk to your doctor about the right amount of activity for you. ‚  

What changes to diet are needed?


  • You may have problems chewing and opening your mouth after the surgery.
  • Eat soft foods like soups and pureed fruits and vegetables after surgery or until the swelling and pain goes away. Avoid citrus fruits. Avoid crunchy and hard foods like meat, popcorn, and crackers that need a lot of chewing.

What problems could happen?


  • Injury to the facial nerve
  • Numbness of the ear lobe
  • Infection
  • Bleeding
  • The skin over the parotid gland sweats when you eat

When do I need to call the doctor?


  • Signs of infection. These include a fever of 100.4 ‚ °F (38 ‚ °C) or higher, chills.
  • Signs of wound infection. These include swelling, redness, warmth around the wound; too much pain when touched; yellowish, greenish, or bloody discharge; foul smell coming from the cut site; cut site opens up.
  • Signs of facial nerve damage. These include not being able to wink, smile, or drink fluids.
  • Bleeding that soaks a gauze dressing in 10 minutes and keeps bleeding
  • Swelling in the neck that makes it hard to breathe or swallow

Teach Back: Helping You Understand


The Teach Back Method helps you understand the information we are giving you. The idea is simple. After talking with the staff, tell them in your own words what you were just told. This helps to make sure the staff has covered each thing clearly. It also helps to explain things that may have been a bit confusing. Before going home, make sure you are able to do these: ‚  
  • I can tell you about my procedure.
  • I can tell you how to care for my cut site.
  • I can tell you what I will do if I have fever, redness, warmth around the wound, or problems when I wink, smile, or try to drink fluids

Where can I learn more?


American Academy of Otolaryngology ¢ ˆ ’ Head and Neck Surgery ‚  
http://www.entnet.org/HealthInformation/salivaryGlands.cfm ‚  
American Cancer Society ‚  
http://www.cancer.org/Cancer/SalivaryGlandCancer/DetailedGuide/salivary-gland-cancer-treating-surgery ‚  
Cancer Research UK ‚  
http://cancerhelp.cancerresearchuk.org/type/salivary-gland-cancer/treatment/surgery/about-surgery-salivary-gland-cancer ‚  

Last Reviewed Date


2015-04-08 ‚  

List_set bdysylist


  • Gastrointestinal

Consumer Information Use and Disclaimer


This information is not specific medical advice and does not replace information you receive from your health care provider. This is only a brief summary of general information. It does NOT include all information about conditions, illnesses, injuries, tests, procedures, treatments, therapies, discharge instructions or life-style choices that may apply to you. You must talk with your health care provider for complete information about your health and treatment options. This information should not be used to decide whether or not to accept your health care provider 's advice, instructions or recommendations. Only your health care provider has the knowledge and training to provide advice that is right for you. ‚  

Copyright


Copyright ‚ © 2016 Wolters Kluwer Clinical Drug Information, Inc. and its affiliates and/or licensors. All rights reserved. ‚  
Copyright © 2016 - 2017
Doctor123.org | Disclaimer