A patient is postoperative day 6 following tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy. The patient has phoned the surgical unit and states that she is experiencing occasional sharp, shooting pains in her affected ear
How should the nurse best interpret this patient's complaint?
A) These pains are an expected finding during the first few weeks of recovery.
B) The patient's complaints are suggestive of a postoperative infection.
C) The patient may have experienced a spontaneous rupture of the tympanic membrane.
D) The patient's surgery may have been unsuccessful.
Ans: A
Feedback:
For 2 to 3 weeks after surgery, the patient may experience sharp, shooting pains intermittently as the eustachian tube opens and allows air to enter the middle ear. Constant, throbbing pain accompanied by fever may indicate infection and should be reported to the primary care provider. The patient's pain does not suggest tympanic perforation or unsuccessful surgery.
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