ABSTRACT
Pain is notable on post-operative days 3-10, peaking on days 5-7 after the surgery. Topical aspirin oral rinses (325mg, 80-100 tablets dissolved in 1L of water, 510mL swish and spit every 30min as necessary) provide significant relief without appreciable systemic absorption or bleeding. Additional pain management includes cool mist vaporizers to moisten the palate during nighttime, anesthetic lozenges, and acetaminophen with or without codeine. Prophylactic acyclovir (Zovirax 400mg by mouth twice daily) is prescribed in patients with a history of oral aphthous ulcers. No steroids or antibiotics are given because these medications may diminish the desired palatal scarring. The patient follows up at 4-6 weeks post-surgery, allowing sufficient time for palatal stiffening to take place. In addition, the OSAS patient is given a postsurgical ESS and polysomnogram to quantify the improvement of their OSAS.
