Special Surgical Procedures II
LESSON 1: Eye, Ear, Nose, and Throat (EENT) Surgery
Section IV: THROAT, TONGUE, AND NECK SURGERY
1-34
1-34. PREP, POSITION, DRAPE, AND ANESTHESIA
a. The face is prepped with an antibacterial detergent, as for surgery of the nose. The inside of the mouth is not prepped. When the approach is through the lower throat, the area from the jaw line to the upper clavicle is prepped.
b. The supine position is usually employed during surgery of the throat. If a local anesthetic is used for an adult tonsillectomy, the patient is placed in a sitting position.
c. The patient's head is covered with sterile towels and he is draped with a sheet as for nasal surgery.
d. For surgical procedures other than an adult tonsillectomy, a general anesthetic may be used. A local anesthetic is given to the adult for tonsil surgery unless that patient is allergic to the drug. To administer the local anesthetic, special tonsil needles are used. They are longer than the normal needles used for local infiltration and have a ridge which prevents their being inserted too deeply.
