Ear Tubes Surgery

What is Ear Tubes Surgery (Myringotomy Tubes or Tympanostomy Tubes)?

For a variety of health reasons, ear tubes are used to treat conditions caused by changes in air pressure in the middle ear.

Why is ear tube surgery performed?

Ear tube surgery is a preferred method in cases such as fluid accumulation in the middle ear, recurrent middle ear infections, frequent ear infections and failure of the middle ear to perform its function. It is also performed to normalise the functions, drain the accumulated fluid from the middle ear, treat the resulting hearing loss and regulate the air pressure.

Who can have ear tube surgery?

Ear tube surgery is not suitable for everyone, as it can be caused by a number of conditions. For this reason, the examination process must be carried out meticulously in order to make the correct diagnosis. The conditions that determine the patients who can have ear tube surgery are as below:

– Patients with frequent recurrent middle ear infections

– Patients with fluid accumulation in the middle ear and those who require surgical removal of this fluid

– Patients with chronic middle ear infections

– Patients with speech or hearing impairment due to fluid accumulation in the middle ear

– Patients with recurrent paranasal sinusitis

– Patients with nasal tumours and tissue loss

– In cases where the air balance in the middle ear is disturbed by exposure to high pressure (diving, flying, etc.)

– Disruption of air balance in conditions such as enlarged adenoids and/or cleft palate, where the patient has a large area of cleft palate.

– In some conditions where the Eustachian tube cannot develop properly (Down’s syndrome, etc.)

– Disruption of air balance due to collapse of the tympanic membrane

– It can be performed in patients with eardrum or Eustachian tube defects due to anatomical reasons.

– There is no age limit for eustachian tube surgery, it can be performed on patients of all ages.

How is ear tube surgery performed?

Once it has been determined that the patient is fit for surgery, the necessary information is obtained and the patient is informed. The eardrum is then scratched by entering the external auditory canal of the patient, who has been given the appropriate dose of anaesthetic. This procedure is performed under a microscope. The aim is to remove the fluid that has accumulated in the middle ear by scratching the lower part of the eardrum. Depending on the patient’s condition and complaints, a ventilation tube may be placed at this point. This tube is usually 2 mm wide, with one end in the middle ear and the other end in the outer ear. This tube, which is inserted during ear tube surgery, is not visible from the outside after the operation.

What are the benefits of ear tube surgery?

Ear tube surgery has many benefits in improving and facilitating the quality of life and patients live a comfortable life after surgery. These benefits can be listed as follows

– A sensitive area such as the middle ear becomes healthy and the continuity of this healthy function is ensured.

– The risk of recurrence of otitis media, one of the most common complaints before surgery, is minimised.

– Problems such as hearing, speech and balance that result from the loss of middle ear function due to infection are eliminated.

– Problems such as sleep disorder and behavioural disturbances caused by middle ear infections are effectively eliminated.

– At the same time, Eustachian tube surgery allows time for the short Eustachian tube to mature in paediatric patients.

How long will the tube stay in?

The length of time the tube remains in the ear is different for someone who is having a tube inserted for the first time and someone who has had the procedure before. In people who have had a tube inserted for the first time, the length of time the tube is in the ear can often be shorter, and the tube will pass out of the body spontaneously after 6-9 months.

However, ear tubes differ both in design and in the patient’s symptoms and needs. Some tubes can be spontaneously eliminated by the body, while others need to be removed by a surgeon.

However, in cases where the treatment is expected to last for years and it is necessary to maintain this balance permanently, a type of tube that cannot be expelled by the ear is used.

What should be considered after ear tube surgery?

Ear tube surgery is often a comfortable procedure when performed by professionals.  The issues to consider after the procedure are listed below:

– It is necessary not to eat or drink anything for the first 4 hours after the operation and then to start taking liquid foods (soup, fruit juice, etc.).

– It is often possible to resume a normal diet on the second day after the operation.

– Daily activities can be resumed normally after the first day.

– After the operation, the patient will not feel the presence of the tube and movements such as running or jumping will not damage the tube.

– The most important thing to remember is to avoid getting water into the ear in areas such as swimming pools, seas, baths and spas until the tube has fallen out or been removed. Easy-to-use ear plugs or cotton swabs smeared with Vaseline are sufficient.

– Cotton wool wipes, which are not recommended by doctors even in normal times, should in no way be preferred for cleaning after ear tube surgery.

– Depending on the procedure used on the ear after the operation and the sensitivity of the ear, it is expected that the light bloody discharge will decrease for 2-3 days. However, yellow-green, thick and foul-smelling discharge is a symptom of inflammation or infection and requires immediate consultation with a doctor.

– Unless your doctor tells you otherwise, you will have your first post-operative check-up 1 week after the operation. The tubes are usually left in for 5-6 months, during which time it is necessary to have routine check-ups every 6-8 weeks.

– Tubes that are not removed from the ear in time can be evaluated by the doctor and easily removed by surgery.