Question

Postoperative Care:

Genia is a 73-year-old who is scheduled for mastoid surgery to remove cholesteatoma, a cyst-like fluid sac filled with keratin debris, which was large enough to occlude the ear canal.

1. The patient is informed that she will have a mastoid pressure dressing in place after surgery. The nurse tells Genia that the dressing will be removed at what time?

 

2. Although infrequent, what type of nerve damage should the nurse assess for and immediately report to the healthcare provider?

 

3. What should the nurse inform the patient are indicators of infection and should be reported immediately to the healthcare provider?

Answer 1

1. The dressing can be removed after 5 days approximately. If the condition is not severe, it can also be removed on the next day of surgery. If the drain is present, it can be removed at the same time.

2. The nurse should assess the Facial nerve as it can get damaged and monitor the facial nerve's function, but there is only less than 2 % risk of injury to the facial nerve.

3. The nurse should inform the patient that she should report to the health care provider if she experienced the following symptoms.

high temperature

redness, swelling behind the ear

discharge from the ear

headache