What is a myringoplasty?

A myringoplasty is a procedure to repair a hole in the eardrum.

What are the benefits?

Your child should have less risk of repeated ear infections and their hearing may improve.

Are there any alternatives?

Keeping your child's ear dry by placing cotton wool and Vaseline in the ear when bathing or washing their hair may prevent infection.

An infection can be treated with antibiotics and a trained healthcare practitioner can clean the ear.

A hearing aid can improve poor hearing but can also lead to more infections.

What will happen if I decide that my child will not have the procedure?

Ear infections may continue and will cause your child's hearing to get worse.

Infection can spread either to the bone behind your child's ear, causing a serious infection called mastoiditis, or to your child's brain, causing meningitis or a brain abscess.

What does the procedure involve?

The procedure is performed under a general anaesthetic and usually takes an hour to 90 minutes.

Your surgeon will need to use a graft (piece of tissue) to cover the hole. This will not change the shape of your child's ear.

Your surgeon will place the graft through a cut made either in front of or behind the ear, or inside the ear canal. They will usually lift the eardrum, place the graft underneath and support it with a dissolving sponge. They will put the eardrum back.

What can I do to prepare my child for the procedure?

Your child should try to maintain a healthy weight. They will have a higher risk of developing complications if they are overweight.

What complications can happen?

The healthcare team are trained to reduce the risk of complications.

Any risk rates given are taken from studies of people who have had this procedure. Your doctor may be able to tell you if the risk of a complication is higher or lower for your child.

Possible complications of this procedure are shown below. Some can be serious and may even cause death.

General complications of any procedure

• Bleeding during or after the procedure. Rarely, a blood clot may develop under the skin and your child will need another procedure to remove it.
• Infection of the surgical site (wound) which may cause the graft to fail.
• Allergic reaction to the equipment, materials or medication.

Specific complications of this procedure

• Failure of the graft.
• Numbness of the ear.
• Loss of hearing, which can be total and permanent.
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ear).
• Change of taste. Taste will usually return to normal after a few months.
• Allergic reaction to the pack material, which results in pain, swelling and discharge from the ear and may also cause the graft to fail.

Consequences of this procedure

• pain
• scarring of the skin, which can be unsightly

What happens after the procedure?

They should be able to go home that day.

Your child should be able to return to school after about 2 weeks.

Protect the ear from water using cotton wool and Vaseline, and do not let your child swim until your surgeon has told you that the graft has worked.

Most people make a good recovery. Your child will need to come back after 2 to 3 weeks to have the pack removed and to check the graft.

Summary

A hole in the eardrum is a common problem. A myringoplasty can prevent infections and sometimes improve your child's hearing.

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