Patient Guide
After endoscopic sinus surgery.
What to expect and what to do in the days and weeks after endoscopic sinus surgery. This is general guidance for patients of this practice: the written instructions you received for your operation take precedence over anything on this page.
General guidance only. Your own written post-operative instructions, and anything Dr. Khetani's office tells you directly, take precedence.
The Early Days
What is normal after this operation.
Expect some mild bleeding from your nose for the first two to three days, and again after each office debridement. This is generally a nuisance rather than a serious problem. If blood runs down the front of your nose or the back of your throat, sit upright, keep your head straight, and breathe gently through your nose. If bleeding persists for an extended period, contact the office.
As the sinuses begin to clear themselves after two to three weeks, expect some thick brownish drainage from your nose. That is mucus and old blood working its way out; it does not by itself mean infection.
Some discomfort is normal as the inflammation settles. Take your pain medication as directed; plain acetaminophen at the dose you are prescribed or advised is often enough. Taking your pain medication before a post-operative visit can make the early visits more comfortable. If a medication makes you drowsy, have someone else drive you.
The Rules That Matter
Do this. Not that.
Do
The habits that help the nose heal open.
- Rinse with saline, two to three times a day, starting two days after surgery. Rinsing helps clear dissolvable packing and old blood, and it matters more than any other single step.
- Expect light bloody nasal discharge for the first three to four days. It is part of normal healing.
- Continue any antibiotics exactly as prescribed unless the office tells you otherwise. If antibiotics cause diarrhea, yogurt with active cultures (or acidophilus from a health food store) can often help prevent it; contact the office if it is significant.
- Keep every scheduled follow-up visit, even if you feel well.
Don't
The habits that start nosebleeds and slow healing.
- Don't blow your nose until you have been given permission, usually about one week after surgery.
- Don't bend, lift or strain for at least one week; these can start nosebleeds. Hold off on rigorous activity until healing is complete and you have been cleared.
- Don't suppress a cough or a sneeze; let it out with your mouth open.
- Don't restart aspirin or aspirin-containing products until you have discussed it with the office, typically after 7 to 10 days.
Contact the office promptly, or seek emergency care, for any of these
A temperature above 37.5 °C, clear watery drainage from your nose, changes in vision, swelling of the eyes, a worsening headache, or neck stiffness. Call the office at (905) 639-2244 during office hours. If you cannot reach the office, or symptoms are severe or getting worse, do not wait for a call back: go to your nearest emergency department or call 911.
Aftercare Visits
Why the follow-up visits are part of the operation.
Post-operative visits are an indispensable part of sinus surgery: they promote healing and help prevent the disease from persisting or returning. You will usually be seen two to three weeks after surgery, and again two to three weeks later, for a possible debridement of the nose and sinuses. Debridement means gently clearing crusts, mucus and absorbable packing so the healing cavities stay open. You may want a family member to accompany you to these visits.
After the two initial visits, expect a visit every four to eight weeks while healing is monitored. Continued debridement may be performed as needed, along with removal of persistent inflammation or scar tissue.
These visits are scheduled as part of your surgery. Keep them even if you feel completely well; how the inside of the nose is healing is not something you can judge from symptoms alone.
Watch
The recovery, on camera.
The same instructions, in Dr. Khetani's own words. Your written instructions still take precedence.
Video 1 of 1
After sinus surgery: what to expect
Congestion and drainage in the first days, why saline rinses matter more than anything else, the debridement follow-up visits and what happens at them, returning to work, and the long-term plan that keeps chronic sinus disease controlled.
About 4 minutes · captioned · general education, not advice about your case
The videos are general education, recorded by Dr. Khetani for patients considering or recovering from this operation. They are not advice about your case: risks, recovery and results vary from person to person and are discussed with you individually.
Unsure about something in your recovery?
Call the office with post-operative questions. For the urgent symptoms listed above, use emergency care rather than waiting for a call back.
Calls are answered promptly at any hour by the practice's AI phone assistant, which records what you need and flags post-operative concerns to the office team; you can always ask for a person. How calls are handled.
Related Patient Information
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Dr. Justin Khetani · Otolaryngology, Head & Neck Surgery · 1435 Plains Rd E, Unit 5, Burlington, ON L7R 3P9 · ENT office (905) 639-2244