Rash after Ear Tube Surgery????

[Anonymous]

Ok, I am getting a little freaked out about my son’s ear tubes. He had them put in Thursday. After we got home I noticed that his face was breaking out in a rash.. I figured it was irratation from the gas mask and that it would go away. The next morning his left ear was red and swelled, his face was worse, and the rash continued to spread: so I called the ENT and he told me to try benadryl and to call back if he wasn’t better in a few hours. Well the benedryl didn’t work, so we had to make a trip to the ENT. He said that Preston was allergic to something that they used in surgery and put him on Zyrtec 2x a day until the reaction goes away.

Well it is now Monday and he still has the rash. Could he be allergic to the ear tubes?

[Anonymous]

Not sure, but call him back immediately. Is the rash worse or better? Is it possibly his ears draining and irritating the skin, or is it more all over than that? Is it just on his face or all over?

Definitely hound him and possibly see your ped, too. I would doubt that he is allergic to the tubes themselves, but I am so NOT a doctor.

Let us know what you find out.

Ann Marie

[Anonymous]

I would also call guess. My guess would be that he was allergic to the anaesthetic that they used during the surgery. I would also ask them to write down everything he was given in the surgery in case he has an allergy. Keep us posted.

[Anonymous]

I would suspect the anesthesia too. Did they give him anything before hand he could have reacted to? Seth just had new tubes put in and he got both Tylenol and Motrin before hand. I have never heard of being allergic to the actual tubes. I don’t know the procedure before the surgery but I wonder if they clean around their ears with anything to sterilize them (like alcohol) that may have made him break out? I would definitely follow up with the ENT.

[Anonymous]

Any allergies that you know if to possible latex? If it was the areas where he was touched with their gloves or wondering if the tubes are made of latex type of material.

[Anonymous]

I called the ENT and talked to his nurse about it. She says that is it very rare that anyone is allergic to the tubes. I asked her what could have been used in the OR that would cause him to break out and she said it could be a number of things because there are so many different things they come in contact with. I asked her about the latex and she said the surgery center doesn’t use latex gloves just for this purpose. She talked to the ENT and he said for me double the Zyrtec and if he isn’t better by the morning to call and they would work him in.

They gave him versed and tylenol w/codine before surgery and I asked the ENT about that when we met him at ER Friday and he didn’t think it was the medication because it had been over 24 hours since he had that.

I just called the baby sitter and he is still broke out. I don’t like the idea of giving him that much antihistimine. I am almost tempted to take him to the ER tonight if he isn’t better….

[Anonymous]

Interesting. I am actually allergic to codeine and get a bad rash if I take it.

[Anonymous]

How long does your rash last with the codeine?

[Anonymous]

P & M’s mom, I have not had codeine in years but it seems like the rash took 1-2 days to clear. They also will not give codeine to Seth since I am allergic so there is a chance he could be too. Does anyone have the allergy in your family? How is the rash today?

[Anonymous]

How’s the rash today?

[Anonymous]

Thank you all so much for you concern and responses….

Turns out that his dad’s family is highly allergic to codeine, so I am thinking that this is the source even though the ENT said the reaction for codeine would not still be present. The rash is still there today. However today it is very scaly looking and seems to be irritated. I have another call into the ENT…

[Author]

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