Parotidectomy Recovery Guide

What should I expect?

• Pain and soreness around the incision and along the side of your face and neck.
• Mild oozing from around the incision.
• Numbness around the earlobe. This usually improves with time, but some numbness can be permanent.

What if part of my face feels weak?

Because the facial nerve runs through the parotid gland, some people have weakness of all or part of the face on the side of surgery. If you do, it almost always improves with time, but it can take several weeks to months.

• If the weakness affects your eyelid and the eye does not close fully, protect the eye: use artificial tears every 1 to 2 hours while awake, a lubricating ointment at bedtime, and tape the eyelid gently closed or wear a moisture shield at night.
• Call us if the eye becomes red or painful, or your vision becomes blurry.

1. 1Parotid gland
2. 2Facial nerve branches
3. 3Usual incision line
4. 4Ear
5. 5Lower jaw (its angle sits under the gland)

The gland, the nerve and the incision. The facial nerve, which moves the face, branches out through the parotid gland. The incision usually runs in front of the ear, around the earlobe and into a crease in the upper neck.

How do I care for the drain?

• You will go home with a drain. It is removed at your first post-op visit.
• Before you go home, the nurse will show you how to empty the drain and write down the amount. Empty it and write down the amount 3 times a day, for example in the morning, in the afternoon and at bedtime, and bring the record to your visit. You do not need to wake up at night to empty it.

1. 1Wash your hands, then open the stopper.
2. 2Pour the fluid into the measuring cup.
3. 3Squeeze the bulb flat, close the stopper, then let go.
4. 4Write down the amount and the time.

Emptying the drain. Bring your written record to your visit. The nurse will show you these steps before you go home.

How do I care for the incision?

• Remove the head wrap dressing 24 hours after surgery.
• You may shower 24 hours after surgery. Let warm, soapy water run over the incision. Do not scrub it.
• No baths, pools, hot tubs or lakes for 2 weeks, or until your surgeon says the incision has healed.
• Do not smoke or vape until your surgeon confirms you have healed. Smoking slows healing and raises the chance of infection; quitting for good helps most.
• Sleep with your head raised on an extra pillow or two for 72 hours.

How should I manage pain?

Most people have mild to moderate pain that over-the-counter medicine controls well. Acetaminophen and ibuprofen together work better than either one alone.

• Acetaminophen (Tylenol): 1,000 mg every 6 hours, no more than 4,000 mg in 24 hours (or 3,000 mg if your package says so, or if you have liver problems or drink alcohol regularly).
• Ibuprofen (Advil, Motrin): 400 mg every 8 hours with food, or naproxen (Aleve): 1 tablet (220 mg) every 8 to 12 hours with food, no more than 3 tablets in 24 hours. Skip them if you have a stomach ulcer or kidney disease, or if your surgeon told you not to take them.
• If we prescribed a stronger (narcotic) pain medicine, use it only for pain the over-the-counter medicines do not control.
• If you take aspirin or a blood thinner, follow your surgeon’s instructions on when to restart it.

When can I get back to normal?

• No heavy lifting or strenuous activity for 2 weeks.
• For 1 week after surgery, stay within about an hour’s drive of our office or a hospital emergency room, and do not fly.
• After anesthesia: for 24 hours, do not drive, drink alcohol, use machinery or sign important papers. After general anesthesia, we recommend having an adult stay with you the first night.

What these limits mean: heavy lifting means anything over about 10 pounds (a gallon of milk weighs about 8), such as a full laundry basket, a case of water or a suitcase. Strenuous activity means anything that makes you breathe hard, strain or sweat: running, weight training, yard work, hard cycling or sports. Walking, light housework, desk work and showering are fine. When the limit ends, start at about half your usual effort and build up over a week; if bleeding starts, stop and rest.

When should I call?