Preparing for Adenoid Surgery

Are you or your child booked in for adenoid surgery? The good news is that this is considered to be a minor operation. What this means is that the risk is actually minimal. The chances of anything going wrong here are low with the most likely complication being excessive bleeding which can easily be treated. However, there are still some things that you need to know when preparing for this treatment. These are just a few of the considerations that you need to keep in mind.

No food or drink

You can’t have any food or drink after midnight on the day before the surgery has been booked. Why is this? Well, as an ear, nose and throat (ENT) doctor will tell you, you will be under anesthesia during this treatment. It can have an adverse side effect can cause nausea. By not consuming foods or drinking after this point, you should be able to reduce the issues here. Unfortunately, parents who are taking their children in for this surgery will often struggle to stick to this rule and that’s understandable. The best way to deal with it is to make sure that they get a full, filling meal before that deadline.

Stop all medication

Ten days prior to your scheduled surgery you should be stopping any medication that you are unsure of. If you speak to your ENT, they will be able to give you a list of medications you should be avoiding which will mainly include anti-inflammatories such as Ibuprofen. Pain relievers are also going to be on this list, so if you are in serious pain and need some sort of medication, consult your ENT before you take anything. Or, you can try natural pain relievers and see if these bring any sort of comfort or relief.

Stay relaxed

You should always attempt to keep your child calm before their surgery. Prepare them for it the best you can by ensuring that they know it is going to be okay, nothing bad is going to happen to them and that they are going to get some treats afterwards. This is usually handy when it comes to calming a child. Make sure that they know when they wake up they are going to feel a lot better and distract them from the surgery as much as possible. If they ask you questions, answer them to the best of your ability in a calm and soothing voice. Try to keep any nerves that you have in check, otherwise they will pick up on them and become anxious.

Keep your ENT informed

You do need to make sure that you provide a full medical history to your ENT. This will be important whether you are getting the surgery or if your child is the patient. It is essential that they know whether the patient has been taking any supplements or medications that could cause complications during the surgery. For instance, some will cause an increased chance of bleeding. We hope this helps you handle the preparation for this procedure the right way.