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dressings : After surgery,
the patient typically wears a head dressing for one
week consisting of cotton or gauze pads held in place
with a wrap-around gauze bandage. This protects the
ears from movement and keeps the patient comfortable,
while at the same time compression on the ears minimizes
swelling and reduces the chances of blood accumulating
beneath the skin.
Depending on the surgeon's routine,
the dressing may be removed the first day after surgery
to check for signs of bleeding or any accumulation of
blood (hematoma) which would be promptly drained. The
dressing is then re-applied for an additional week.
Signs of increasing pain during this period would suggest
a hematoma or infection. In this case, the ears should
be immediately re-inspected.
sutures : The sutures in
the crease behind that ear that were placed to close
the incision may be removed at the time the initial
dressing is removed at one week. However, in many instances,
dissolvable sutures are used instead, which dissolve
with the daily application of antibiotic ointment.
sleeping : Following
removal of the dressing at one week, the patient then
wears a tennis headband or ski cap at night for an additional
3-4 weeks to protect the ears while sleeping.
results : Once the
bandages come off, the patient will be immediately able
to appreciate the changes, although some swelling will
likely persist for several more weeks.
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