Myringotomy and Tympanostomy Tubes in Dallas, Fort Worth, Frisco, TX
Myringotomy and tympanostomy tubes are medical devices inserted into the ear drum to equalize the pressure of the middle ear space with the atmospheric pressure. They are placed in the doctor’s office in adults and in the operating room under sedation in children. They are very safe and effective for all ages.
Most middle ears equalize pressure through the function of the eustachian tube. The inability to equalize the middle ears is called Eustachian tube dysfunction. This may have many manifestations including eardrum collapse, perforation, or cholesteatoma formation. The relevant manifestation of myringotomy and tympanostomy tubes is chronic fluid behind the eardrum with or without recurring infection.
Chronic fluid behind the eardrum results in conductive hearing loss. Myringotomy and tube placement allows the fluid to evaporate and the eardrum to move normally, restoring hearing. It also may break the cycle of recurring ear infections in children who suffer many ear infections and miss time at school.
Your neurotologist will examine your eardrum using a microscope. The ear canal is cleaned, and a drop of phenol is used to numb the eardrum prior to myringotomy. A small myringotomy, or eardrum incision is made, and middle ear effusion is suctioned using a small suctioning instrument. A small tube is placed in the myringotomy and antibiotic ear drops are placed through the tube. The procedure is completed and in the case of office procedures you may go back to work without any changes to your day. Children need to recover at home for the day due to the anesthesia but can return to life as normal the following day. You should be fine to shower, bath, or splash on the surface of a pool. You may need earplugs to submerge your ears after myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement.
Occasionally, your neurotologist may recommend imaging prior to tube placement. While middle ear effusion is very common in children and adults with chronic ear disease, an unexplained middle ear effusion may alert your neurotologist to other causes of effusion that should be checked for before assuming benign fluid and performing a myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement.
In summary, myringotomy and tympanostomy tube placement is a safe and effective procedure done in the office for most patients. It is indicated in patients who have middle ear effusion and conductive hearing loss with or without recurring infections. You may return to work the same day with little to no change in your daily routine.