Surgery postponed again

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I was supposed to have tonsillectomy in January. Then figured out it’s my overly stylish styloids. R side is so painful, feels unstable, like something is broken off , sometimes rattles in my ear when I hum. Think it’s blocking all the lymphatics from the R side of my upper body. Now postponed because my ENT who is willing to do it is not able to do it at the surgery center because they “have no code for that type of surgery.” So postponed months, and I am supposed to start a new job in Feb, so may need to be postponed until summer. So much pain, so much fear that I don’t know exactly what’s in there and I’m going to wake up one day having a stroke. Discouraged. I’m gonna pull it out with a pair of pliers one day … (poking right to the surface of my tonsil.

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@MyStylishStyloid - Don’t despair. There is no ICD-9 code for ES specifically but surgeons “in the know” bill it as a craniectomy. Please let your doctor know so he can put you back on his schedule.

@Rlr286 posted this info a few days ago. It would also be worth giving your doctor this information:

I will say I’m a bit concerned that your surgeon isn’t very experienced w/ styloidectomies if he doesn’t know the billing code for them. Please make him promise to cut your styloids back as close to the skull base as possible & remove your stylohyoid ligaments if they are also calcified. Just shortening them back to normal length is often not enough to resolve symptoms.

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So sorry that it’s been postponed, rough for you…I had that with my second surgery and it’s not fun…
We do have a list of suggested questions you could look at to ask your doctor if he hasn’t done any surgeries (you want to get it right, it’s even harder to get someone to do a revision surgery if not enough of the styloid is removed)
Questions To Ask Your Doctor:

  1. How many ES surgeries have they done and what was the success rate?
  2. Whether they’re going to operate externally, or intraoral- through the mouth. Whilst some members have had successful surgeries with intraoral, external is better for seeing all the structures, to be able to remove more of the styloids, & also there’s less chance of infection.
  3. You need to ask how much of the styloid he’ll remove- as much as possible is best- & anything left needs to be smoothed off. The piece needs to be removed too- some doctors have snapped it off & left it in! If the styloid is only shortened a bit it can still cause symptoms.
  4. If your stylohyoid ligaments are calcified, then any calcified section needs to be removed too.
  5. There’s usually swelling after surgery; you could ask if a drain’s put in to reduce swelling, or if steroids are prescribed. It’s not essential, but can help with recovery a bit.
  6. Will it be a day case surgery or will you need to stay in?
  7. Obviously ask the risks- we know from experience on here that temporary damage to the facial nerve is quite common, and also the hypoglossal nerve and the accessory nerve. These usually recovery very quickly but in some cases members have needed physiotherapy. There is also the risk of catching a blood vessel or having a stroke, but these are very rare.
  8. Ask if the surgeon monitors the nerves- this should be done to see if there’s stress on the nerves to avoid damage as mentioned above.
  9. What painkillers will be prescribed afterwards.
  10. Ask about recovery- most doctors either down play it or are genuinely unaware of how long the recovery can take!
    Sending you a hug :hugs:
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