Insertion of Grommets: You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of an hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.
Leaflet Details
| Title | Insertion of Grommets |
| Department | Day Surgery Unit |
| Author(s) | Claire Ellson-Credo, RN |
| Review Date | January 2022 |
| Next Review | January 2025 |
| Download | A5 Booklet PDF |
| Accessibility Options | Click on the Recite Me button to show our accessibility resources |
Patient Information
After your surgery
- You will be going home on the day of your surgery after you are able to eat and drink and have passed urine. You would stay in the hospital for a minimum of an hour for observations. You will need a responsible adult to pick you up from the hospital and stay with you overnight.
Ear care
- Keep ears dry at least for a week or as instructed by your surgeon. You can gently insert cotton wool into the ears when bathing.
- Do not swim for 6 weeks or until you have been given permission by your surgeons. Thereafter you may swim on the surface but do not dive or swim underwater deeper than 2 metres.
- There might be a small amount of clear discharge from the ear. You can gently wipe it away from the outside using a clean tissue. Never probe an ear canal with a cotton bud or flannel.
Travel
- It is safe for you to travel on an aeroplane whilst the grommets are in place.
Activity
- You should be able to return to normal activities after a day or two.
- Do not drive for at least 24 hours and until you feel you are able to so. It is advisable to check with your insurance company as they may have different policies.
Blood clot prevention
- It is important that you resume normal activities as advised and keep active. You must wear the anti-embolic stockings given to you before your procedure for 7 days, both during the day and night time. They can be removed while you shower or freshen up.
- Depending on your medical risk factors, you may be prescribed blood-thinning injections to take after your operation. These help prevent blood clots such as in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or the lung (pulmonary embolus).
Follow up appointment
- You will be given an outpatient follow up appointment between 4-6 weeks, this maybe a virtual clinic (telephone appointment). The details will be posted to you by your surgeon’s secretary. Further appointments will be discussed with you during this time.
- The grommets will usually fall out of your ear by itself between 6 to 18 months and the small incision in the eardrum heals itself. Your surgeons will give you further advice after this time.
What to watch out for:
Please contact your GP if:
- You start to notice any unusual discharge from your ear (pus / blood)
- The pain becomes severe
- You have a temperature
Please contact the ENT clinic if you have any other concerning symptoms and they will advise you on further actions. If you need to attend Accident and Emergency Department, this will be in RSCH at Guildford.
Useful contact numbers:
- ENT clinic Ashford Hospital 01784 884346 Monday to Friday
- Day Surgery Unit Ashford Hospital 01784 884609 or 01784 884189 between 8am-9pm Monday to Friday
- Clandon ward Royal Surrey County Hospital 01483 464067 after 9pm on weekdays, all day weekend and bank holidays
- ASPH Main Switchboard 01932 872000 and ask to be connected to your surgeon’s secretary for appointment queries
If you feel unwell and needed urgent medical care, please go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department immediately and bring your discharge letter with you.
