Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery - What to Expect During Your Hospital Stay (The James)

Endoscopic Endonasal Skull Base Surgery - What to Expect During Your Hospital Stay (The James)

 

Your Care Plan

We have created this care plan to help you and your family know what to expect after surgery. Changes may be made based on your needs and recovery.

 

Each Day During Your Hospital Stay

  • Ask your nurse and doctor about how you are doing.
  • Ask for pain medicine before your pain gets out of control. Medicines will be ordered to help control your pain around the clock, such as acetaminophen (Tylenol), gabapentin (Neurontin), celecoxib (Celebrex) and ibuprofen (Motrin).
  • Be active. Your health care team will help you up to sit in a chair and walk the evening of your surgery. The goal is to walk 4 times a day.
  • Wear your compression wraps on your legs to help prevent blood clots. You may also be given medicine to help prevent blood clots.
  • You will be asked if you are passing gas and having bowel movements.

 

Day of Surgery

After your surgery, you will be taken to the Neuroscience Critical Care Unit or the Progressive Care Unit, based on your type of surgery. A nurse will watch you closely and take your vital signs during this time. Your brain and nerves will also be checked by the nurse every 1 to 2 hours.

  • When you first wake up, you may feel cold and you may shiver. This is normal when you have general anesthesia.
  • When you wake up, you will have an IV to give fluids and medicines, a foley catheter to empty your bladder, a line in your wrist (arterial line) to help monitor your blood pressure and may have drains in place.
  • Your ability to swallow safely will also be checked. Once it is safe, you will be given ice chips and/or liquids.
  • Your nurse will listen to your belly for bowel sounds and ask if you are passing gas. These are all signs that your body is ready for food. If you do well with liquids, you will start a regular diet.
  • Your health care team will help you sit in a chair and walk.
  • If you have a foley catheter, it will be removed the morning after your surgery.

 

Day 1 After Surgery

  • You will be helped out of bed to sit in a chair for 2 to 4 hours.
  • Your health care team will help you walk 2 to 4 times.
  • When you are getting enough fluids, your IV fluids will be stopped. Your IV site will then be capped until it is removed the day you leave the hospital.
  • Your nurse will check your ability to eat and drink.
  • Your foley catheter will be removed.
  • Your arterial line catheter will be removed.
  • A case manager will meet with you to make plans for your discharge.
  • Your health care team will start to teach you how to care for yourself when you leave the hospital.

 

Day 2 After Surgery

  • You will sit in the chair for 4 to 6 hours.
  • Your health care team will help you walk 4 to 6 times.
  • You should have all your drains and tubes removed.
  • You should be able to eat a regular diet.
  • If you are taking prescription pain medicine, you may need a stool softener. Tell your nurse if you feel you need to have a bowel movement.

 

Getting Ready for Discharge

The length of your hospital stay will depend on your type of surgery and your recovery after surgery. You will be ready to leave the hospital when you have done the following:

☐ Your pain is under control when taking pain pills.

☐ You do not show any signs or have symptoms of a cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leak, such as a headache that feels worse when sitting up or lying down, nausea/vomiting, neck pain/stiffness, changes in hearing, dizzy, sensitive to light and sound, drainage from nose or ear, drainage down back of throat, salty or metal taste in mouth, loss of smell.

☐ You know your plan for discharge.

☐ Any services, equipment or supplies that you need have been set up.

☐ You can eat regular food and drink without an upset stomach.

☐ You do not show any signs or have symptoms of an infection.

 

Day of Discharge

Your health care team will review the following with you:

  • Any activity restrictions
  • Your medicines, including how much and when they should be taken, and any side effects they may cause
  • Your follow-up appointments
  • When and who to call if you have problems

You will be given directions in your After Visit Summary. You may also have prescriptions that you need to have filled at the pharmacy.

 

If you have questions or concerns about your surgery or your care after leaving the hospital, you may call:

  • Head and Neck Clinic at 614-293-8074

After hours, and on weekends or holidays, call the hospital operator at 614-293-8000. Tell the operator your surgeon’s name and they will have a member of the on-call team help you.

If you have an emergency, go to the nearest emergency room or call 911.

 

 

© December 16, 2021. The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center – Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute.

This handout is for informational purposes only. Talk with your doctor or health care team if you have any questions about your care.