Tympanoplasty

What is tympanoplasty?

Tympanoplasty (say “tim-PAN-oh-plass-tee”) is surgery to repair a hole in the eardrum and/or examine/fix the hearing bones in your ear.

When is surgery recommended?

A doctor may recommend surgery for a hole in your eardrum that is not healing and causing infections or if you have hearing loss.

What should I expect from surgery?

The surgery can be done through the ear canal or through a cut (incision) behind your ear. The doctor may use tissue taken from around your ear to repair your eardrum, this is called a graft. These grafts are held in place with pieces of absorbable foam that melt away over 3-4 weeks.. If the doctor made a cut behind your ear, it will be closed with stitches. Many factors including the size of the hole affect how successful surgery is going to be, but most patients (about 80%) will have good results from surgery. Hearing is usually improved after surgery, but it may not be as good as it was before.

What are the risks?

With all surgeries in the ear, there are risks: Failure to close the hole in the eardrum, Failure to improve hearing, Partial or total hearing loss (1 to 5 in 100), Damage to the nerve that controls the movement of your face (1 in 1000), Changes in taste, Development of cholesteatoma (skin trapped in the inner parts of your ear) which requires further surgery to remove

What should I expect after surgery?

You will probably go home on the same day as your surgery. You will likely have some surgical foam in your ear, so your ear will feel plugged. This is to be expected. Do not try to unplug or pop your ear by blowing air. Most of the surgical foam will be removed during your post-operative visit and some will be left to dissolve over a month. You should use the ear drops as directed to keep the packing from drying. You will likely have to avoid flying in an airplane for about 6 weeks and keep your ear dry for 3-6 weeks. Most people are able to go back to work or their normal routine in about 1 to 2 weeks. But if you must be very active or lift heavy things for your job, you may need to take up to 2 to 4 weeks off.