When you are first discharged from the hospital, you will go home with two collars. You will normally be in one of these neck collars (the Miami J) full time for the first week. This is the white and blue plastic padded collar. The other pink collar (the Philadelphia) is used for showering. When finished showering, simply sit on the bed, take off the Philadelphia, keep the neck immobile, towel off and place on the Miami J.
If the surgery was not complex, the neck collar can be removed for the waking hours after 7 days or the first office visit. Sleeping in the collar is recommended for the first four to six weeks.
If the surgery was a complex reconstruction, the collar may be needed for six weeks and sometimes longer.
