Myringoplasty

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More about your treatment

You have been told by your doctor that you need further treatment to find out more about your condition. Please take a few minutes to read through this information which answers the most usual questions patients ask.

Myringoplasty is an operation to repair a hole (perforation) in an eardrum. This will help protect the middle ear from infection and if the bones (ossicles) in the middle ear are working may improve the hearing as well. Sometimes it can improve the hearing, however the main reason for doing this operation is to stop infections

Treatment

The operation requires making a cut either behind or in front of your ear. A graft, taken from fibrous tissue deep to the cut, will be placed over the hole, but it will be several weeks before this will have healed.

During this time it is important not to put your fingers near your ear, sneeze, blow your nose or physically strain as this may cause infection or displacement of the graft (the ear is connected to the back of the nose by a small tube – the Eustachian tube).

There will be dressings inside your ear after the operation for about three weeks and until they are removed there may be slight oozing from the dressing. You will be given antibiotic ear drops to use for three weeks.

Complications

If for any reason a small nerve (corda tympani nerve) has to be cut to get the graft into the middle ear, taste over part of the tongue on this side may be lost. Any operation on the ear may rarely result in a “dead” ear or facial weakness.

Follow up

  1. Dressing from inside the ear will be removed in the Outpatient Clinic in about three weeks.
  2. Sutures will be removed in five to six days by your GP.
  3. If you have a head bandage after the operation this will be removed before you go home.
  4. You may use cotton wool with Vaseline to protect the internal dressing. This may be changed daily but take care not to pull out the internal dressing. You must keep the ear dry at all times.

Length of stay

You will be in hospital for about 8 (day case) to 24 hours depending on your circumstances.

Advice

Please wash your hair the day before surgery.

You must keep your ear dry at all times, therefore a plug of Vaseline covered cotton wool should be inserted into your ear before washing or showering. This should be changed daily.

For queries please contact: Ambulatory Care on (01908) 995 470