Ear Surgery

Surgery to provide ventilation of the middle ear, followed by other similar procedures.

A small incision is made in the ear drum and a tiny tube placed to keep the incision open. The tube provides ventilation for the middle ear, which can prevent fluid build-up, reduce infections, improve hearing and permit direct placement of medicines in the middle ear.

Postoperative care: Your surgeon may prescribe drops, which are used to keep the tube open and prevent the infections from recurring. Your doctor will give you specific post-operative care instructions. If an appointment has not already been made, please call to schedule a follow-up appointment 2-6 weeks from the surgery date. You may have regularly scheduled ear exams until the tubes fall out, your physician will determine the follow up schedule.

Procedure done to repair a hole in the ear drum.

The hole is patched using a tissue graft taken from behind the ear or from the cartilage of the ear itself.

Postoperative instructions: No flying for 6 to 8 weeks.

Procedure done to open the mastoid cavity to clean out infection and improve ventilation.

When middle ear infections spread to the mastoid cavity, the cavity is opened up to clean out the infection and improve ventilation. In some cases, a cholesteatoma is found in a preoperative CT scan or during the actual surgery. This is a destructive pearl of skin that has managed to grow in the middle ear and is removed to prevent ear pain, hearing loss, and infections.

Postoperative instructions: No flying for 6-8 weeks and avoid getting water in the ear.

Surgery for hearing loss, followed by other similar surgeries.

Procedure done to treat hearing loss due to otosclerosis. Otosclerosis occurs when bones within the middle ear become “stuck” and unable to relay vibrations through the ear.

Procedure done to improve conductive hearing loss.

The connection between the eardrum and the inner ear is reestablished through a prosthesis or reconstructed hearing bones.

Device that gives a sense of sound to a profoundly deaf or very hard-of-hearing person.

The implant is a small, complex electronic device that consists of an external portion that sits behind the ear and a second part that is surgically placed under the skin.     

A BAHA is used to help people with chronic ear infections, congenital external auditory canal atresia, and single sided deafness who cannot benefit from conventional hearing aids.  It is a surgically implantable system that works through direct bone conduction, which is sound conducted through the bone rather than through the middle ear.

Preauricular cysts, pits, fissures and sinuses are benign congenital malformations of the preauricular soft tissues.  Preauricular tags are epithelial mounds or pedunculated skin that arise near the front of the ear near the tragus.

Plastic surgery to correct deformities or disfiguring injuries of the external ear. This is the only type of plastic surgery performed more often in children than adults.

An osteoma is a bony knob that grows close to the tympanic membrane in the bony ear canal, especially in those who swim a great deal in cold water, It is not dangerous and does not need to be removed unless the bony overgrowth becomes large enough to block the ear canal.

Performed to widen a narrowed (either congenitally or acquired) external auditory canal.  The most common reason for canalplasty is to enhance access for mastoid surgery or during a lateral graft tympanoplasty.  Other primary reasons include removal of bony or soft tissue growths or scar tissue, or as part of surgery for aural atresia 

Rest assured, our skilled ENT specialists will take good care of you before, during, and after any surgical procedure you may need. If you have any questions, please call your clinic location or visit our online collection of Patient Resources for more information on Ear Surgery.