Adult Obstructive Sleep Apnoea: Beyond CPAP Therapy
For patients with Obstructive Sleep Apnoea (OSA) who cannot tolerate CPAP therapy, modern surgical t....
The decision to proceed with surgery is made in partnership between you and Dr Nguyen, based on a comprehensive evaluation of your symptoms, the severity of the blockage, and the impact on your quality of life.
Surgery is typically recommended when:
The procedure is performed at The George Centre by a dedicated team experienced in advanced ENT procedures. The team includes a specialist anaesthetist and surgical nurses who are all familiar with Dr Nguyen's specific protocols for exostectomy.
Dr Nguyen uses a high-powered surgical microscope to achieve meticulous precision, removing the bony growths while carefully preserving the delicate ear canal skin and eardrum. This tissue-preservation technique is crucial for promoting faster healing and achieving the best possible hearing outcomes.
If you have significant exostoses in both ears, Dr Nguyen strongly recommends a staged approach, operating on one ear at a time with a recovery period in between. This approach ensures you always maintain hearing function in one ear during recovery. It also reduces the overall physiological burden on your body and makes the recovery from each procedure more manageable.
We use a multimodal pain management approach, starting before your surgery even begins, to ensure you remain as comfortable as possible.
While our goal is your comfort, it is important to expect significant discomfort, particularly in the first 3-5 days, which we will manage proactively with a clear medication schedule.
You will have a protective dressing over your ear and will need to focus on rest. Some hearing fluctuation and a popping sensation are normal. You will have a follow-up appointment with Dr Nguyen at the Forster clinic (or the clinic where you were first seen) to have the packing removed.
Your hearing will begin to improve significantly. You can typically return to non-strenuous work, but you must keep the ear completely dry.
The ear canal continues to heal. Flying is generally permitted after the four-week mark, once cleared by Dr Nguyen.
Depending on your healing progress, you can often return to swimming in clean water, wearing custom-fitted earplugs.
A full return to surfing and diving is typically possible once Dr Nguyen has confirmed complete healing of the ear canal.
When performed by an experienced ENT surgeon, the procedure has an exceptional success rate. In our practice,
95-98% of patients return to their full water sport activities with improved hearing and a dramatic reduction in ear infections.
Recurrence is possible. The key to preventing regrowth is the lifelong use of high-quality, custom-fitted earplugs during all cold water activities.
The procedure itself typically takes between 2-3 hours.
You will be completely asleep under general anaesthesia and will not feel anything during the surgery. Post-operative pain is expected but is managed with a comprehensive pain relief plan.
If chronic ear infections or hearing loss from surfer's ear are affecting your quality of life, a professional evaluation is the next step.
