Ear Treatment

Your child will receive general anesthesia. This means the surgery will be performed in a hospital so that an anesthesiologist can monitor your child. The procedure generally takes about 10 to 15 minutes. Dr. Campano will make a small hole in the eardrum and remove fluid from the middle ear using suction. Because Dr. Campano can reach the eardrum through the ear canal, there is no visible incision. Inserting a small metal or plastic tube into the hole in the eardrum finishes the procedure.

After surgery, your child will wake up in the recovery area. The total time spent in the hospital is a few hours. Very young children or those with additional medical problems may stay for a longer period of time.

A substance such as water may sometimes enter the middle ear through the tube. This is generally not a problem. Dr. Campano may or may not feel that earplugs are necessary for regular bathing or swimming. In most cases, surgery to remove a tympanostomy tube is unnecessary. The tube usually falls out on its own, pushed out as the eardrum heals. A tube generally stays in the ear anywhere from 6 to 18 months, depending on the type of tube used. If the tube remains in the eardrum beyond 2 or 3 years, it will likely need to be surgically removed in order to prevent a perforation in the eardrum or accumulation of debris around the tube.

After surgery, your child will be taken to the recovery room to be monitored by a nurse. You may be invited into the recovery room as your child becomes aware of their surroundings and starts looking for you. Your child should be able to go home the same day as the surgery once they have fully recovered from the anesthetic. This usually takes less than one hour.

Your child may resume a normal diet after he or she has fully recovered from the anesthetic. Even though they may be hungry immediately after surgery, it is best to feed them slowly to prevent postoperative nausea and vomiting. Occasionally, children may vomit one or two times immediately after surgery. If vomiting persists, your doctor may prescribe medication to settle the stomach.

Tympanostomy tubes usually stay in place from 6 to 18 months. If they stay in longer than two to three years, they may need to be surgically removed. It is important to have an ear check-up about every six months during this time period. An audiogram is usually obtained at some point after the ear has healed. The tubes eventually fall out of the eardrum on their own as the ear heals. Some children may have mild discomfort or bloody drainage at this time. The small hole in the eardrum at the old tube site usually heals within several weeks. Your doctor will instruct you when it is safe to allow water in the ears.

Ear problems are the most common medical complaint of airplane travelers, and while they are usually simple, minor annoyances, they may result in temporary pain and hearing loss. Make air travel comfortable by learning how to equalize the pressure in the ears instead of suffering from an uncomfortable feeling of fullness or pressure.

When the eustachian tube is blocked from a cold or sinus, nose or ear infection, air can no longer pass through. Stuffy ears and noses, hearing loss, ear pain, and pressure, as well as ringing in the ears (tinnitus) can result. The eustachian tube is the main connection between the back of the throat and the middle of the ear. Normally, the tube is filled with air and opens when yawning or chewing.

Blocked eustachian tubes can be relieved by nasal sprays and antihistamine tablets, which reduce inflammation and congestion. Recurrent Eustachian tube dysfunction requires the surgical placement of tubes in the eardrum, which allows pressure to equalize in the middle ear. Now that the FDA has approved the Aera system, children, and adults with chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction can opt for a simple, 10-minute procedure instead.

The most common complaint of air travelers is ear pain, and while they’re usually simple, minor annoyances, they can result in temporary pain and hearing loss. During air travel pressure rapidly changes based on takeoff and landing. To maintain comfort, the Eustachian tube must open frequently and wide enough to equalize the changes in pressure. Individuals with Eustachian Tube Dysfunction may be unable to clear the pressure within the ear, causing pain and discomfort.