Are you experiencing a condition affecting the middle ear? If so, your physician may recommend surgical treatment if other options have been exhausted. Below we review the types of middle ear surgery, what to expect and when it may be necessary.
Types of Middle Ear Surgery
There are four types of middle ear surgery:
- Myringoplasty. This type of surgery repairs a hole in the eardrum.
- Ossiculoplasty. This surgery repairs the tiny bones in the middle ear.
- Tympanoplasty. This procedure addresses both the eardrum and middle ear bones.
- Mastoidectomy. This surgery entails removing the air cavities in the mastoid bone behind the ear.
What to Expect from Middle Ear Surgery
Before surgery, avoid eating or drinking for at least six hours. You should also stop taking blood thinners for about a week leading up to surgery. During your consultation, you’ll sign paperwork and ask any questions you may have.
For the procedure, your doctor will put you under anesthesia. During middle ear surgery, the doctor may remove dead or infected tissue, introduce a prosthetic device to replace damaged bone or place a graft over the eardrum to repair it.
After surgery, you should avoid swimming, diving, air travel, lifting heavy objects, sudden head movements, blowing your nose and sneezing.
Why Middle Ear Surgery Is Performed
If you have any of the following conditions, middle ear surgery may be necessary:
- Eustachian tube dysfunction. The Eustachian tubes connect the middle ear to the back of the throat and are responsible for equalizing air pressure and allowing fluid to drain.
- Ear infections. Often caused by allergies after exposure to pollen at Bee Creek Park these can cause pain, pressure, hearing loss or a ruptured eardrum.
- Eardrum perforation. Also known as a tympanic membrane perforation, this can cause hearing loss, pain and fluid drainage.
- Cholesteatoma. This is an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear.
- Conductive hearing loss. This type of loss is caused by some sort of physical obstruction somewhere in the ear.
For more information or to schedule an appointment with an ear expert, call Texas ENT & Allergy today.
