Procedures

Post Op Instructions for Sleep Apnea Procedures

Laser Assisted UvuloPalatoPlasty (LAUPP):
General Instructions:

Avoid frequent coughing or clearing of throat in the first 2 weeks.
An objectionable mouth odor may be lessened by adequate fluid intake.
You may see a gray-white appearance to the surgery site ... this is normal & should disappear in the first 1-2 weeks.
You may experience a slight earache or fever in the first 1-2 weeks during healing. This is expected. They should resolve over the weeks during healing and are not a major concern. Should they persist, consult with your surgeon.
Plan to take several days off from work. If you do return to work, remember to take care while taking strong pain medications (with narcotic): you should not drive, make serious decisions, operate heavy machinery.
Contact our office (your surgeon) for any questions or problems: 770-962-9515.

Medications:

Take antibiotics as directed by your surgeon until they are finished.
Take pain medication as directed by your surgeon.
Avoid: Aspirin during the first 2 weeks of healing.
Remember: the strong pain medications have a narcotic component and may make you sleepy and feel tired. Do NOT drive (or operate machinery), take alcohol or make serious decisions while taking these medications.
Should you experience any side effects related to your medications, please contact your surgeon.
Side effects may include stomach upset, diarrhea, and/or nausea/vomiting.

Bleeding:

Expect minor oozing of blood from surgery sites. Bleeding should stop before you are discharged.
You may gargle with ice water to slow & stop the oozing.
If oozing or bleeding persists after 7-10 days, then follow the above.
If the bleeding persists, contact your surgeon. In case of emergency, please go directly to your local emergency room.

Diet:

1st 24 hours:

Keep hydrated by adequate fluid intake.
Start with a clear liquid diet (lukewarm water, light (apple) juice, Gatorade, broth, Jello, etc.)
You may advance to more of a full liquid diet if you are not nauseous. You begin to add: ice cream, smoothies, milk shakes, Boost/Ensure, pudding, etc.
Avoid: acidic juices, such as orange juice, grapefruit juice, tomato juice; spicy foods/drinks; alcohol (including alcohol containing mouth rinses).

1st week:

Continue to remain hydrated.
Gradually add more solid foods such as mashed potato, cottage cheese, grits, scrambled eggs, etc.
Avoid crunchy foods or foods with sharp edges to avoid injuring surgery sites.

2nd week and beyond: