Tympanostomy Tube Surgery, a Common Surgery for Children

Tympanostomy tube surgery is one of the most common surgeries in children. The surgical procedure is to open the tympanic membrane and insert a tube in children near the eardrum to drain the fluid behind the eardrum and to function properly. They are known as the PE or the pressure equalization tubes as they equalize the pressure in the middle ear and the outer ear. These tubes also prevent infections that can be caused by the accumulation of fluids in the middle ear.

This procedure is opted when the medications and other non-surgical treatments does not work to relieve the pain caused by the unequal pressure in the ear. This also repairs the hearing loss due to the fluids in the ear, which is present for more than four months that results in speech problems due to hearing loss. To equalize the pressure in the ear and further prevent infections in the ear, which can cause brain infections tympanostomy tube surgery is performed.

An otolaryngologist (an ear, nose, throat specialist) does this tympanostomy procedure. In the US, at least one million children undergo this tymoanostomy surgery every year. The tubes are placed with the help of general anesthesia and the entire process takes only five to ten minutes. A small hole made in the eardrum helps to suck the fluids from the inner ear.

Then a small tube is place in the hole to provide air to the middle ear that helps in equalizing the pressure in both the inner and the outer ear. This is a painless procedure and the child can leave the hospital the same day. As the eardrum grows, the tubes fall out by itself within a year or two. It is very important that the child is on empty stomach on the day of the surgery lest the child will have chances to choke while asleep.

The merits of this surgery:

• Decreases the risk of reoccurrence of the problem to a great extent
• Hearing returns to normal restoring the speech development in children
• Sense of balance gets back to normal
• The tube allows the fluid to drain from the middle ear
• The tubes come out by themselves after 6-18 months of insertion
• Prevents the fluids to thicken which damages the middle ear

The risks of this surgery are few and rare like a small hole sometimes remains in the eardrum after the tubes fall out. There is a risk of bleeding and infection. The child may react to anesthesia, which can cause reaction to medicines and breathing problems. The eardrum can be damaged in the procedure and there can be discharge in form of pus.

Some children continue to have ear infections even after the surgery. These complications can bring about hearing impairment.
Tympanostomy tube surgery is performed also in adults with the infection that can damage the surrounding nerves and bones or the brain.

If the eardrum is normal and poses no problem then it is fine but when the symptoms reoccur and the tubes are blocked, the physician recommends some eardrops for the problem but the tubes are replaced only on extreme conditions. Take immediate medical intervention is case of any abnormal symptoms after the surgery.

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