Eardrum Surgery (Tympanoplasty)

Eardrum surgery (tympanoplasty) is an operation to solve the problems that a person experiences in the eardrum due to various reasons. The eardrum is located in the middle ear. In addition to the eardrum, the middle ear also has structures called hammer, anvil, and stirrup. These structures are the critical points of the ear. In particular, the canal called the Eustachian tube is located here. This channel, which provides communication between the ear and throat, also makes air inflow towards the middle ear during swallowing. Some people may experience a middle ear infection.

This condition is called otitis medea, and with this inflammation, the eardrum can be damaged. Through tympanoplasty, the eardrum and middle ear structures are repaired. This surgery can be applied to children and adults.

You can reach the points you are wondering about eardrum surgery under the following headings:

• What is the eardrum?
• What is eardrum surgery (tympanoplasty)?
• How is eardrum surgery done?
• What are eardrum surgery application techniques?
• What should be considered after tympanoplasty?

What is the eardrum?

The eardrum is an important part of the hearing function. Located in the middle ear, this membrane has a form that can vibrate when sound waves are transmitted. After this vibration, the stirrup, hammer and anvil, which are the middle ear structures, begin to vibrate and transmit the sound to the inner ear. Then the sound transmission goes to the brain, temporal lobe, via nerve cells. Middle ear infections directly affect the eardrum. As a result, the patient; partial hearing loss, high fever, sleep problems, ringing in the ears and itching around the ears.

What is Eardrum Surgery (Tympanoplasty)?

The operation performed to remove the progressive middle ear inflammation and repair the eardrum is called eardrum surgery (tympanoplasty). When the eardrum is damaged, it already has the ability to regenerate itself. However, there may be advanced cases where it cannot renew itself. For this reason, doctors use this operation, which cleans the eardrum and middle ear structures. The operation is generally not suitable for patients younger than 13 years of age. If it progresses too much, surgery can also be applied at these ages.

How is Eardrum Surgery Performed?

Eardrum surgery is an operation to restore the functional form of the eardrum. The stages followed during the surgery, which can take approximately 1-2 hours, are as follows:

• Before the operation, the general health status of the patient is checked and examined. A diagnosis of otitis media is made and a date is given for surgery.
• The operation is performed under general anesthesia.
• In order to reach the eardrum during surgery, it can be entered behind the ear or through the ear.
• Then, the torn membrane is patched by reaching the eardrum.
• In some cases, middle ear structures may also be damaged. It is ensured that these structures are also cleaned from inflammation.
• After all operations are completed, the operation is completed. The patient is taken under surveillance after surgery.

What are Eardrum Surgery Application Techniques?

Different techniques can be preferred according to the course of the disease in eardrum surgery. If there is a problem only in the anterior part of the eardrum, the ear canal is followed and repaired without an incision during the surgery. However, if there are problems behind the eardrum and middle ear ossicles, different techniques are used. Among these techniques, there is the approach of entering the middle ear by making an incision behind the ear.

Another approach involves repairing the eardrum through the cartilage in front of the ear canal. Thin strips of cartilage in front of the ear canal are taken and placed in the membrane. This is how the process is completed. In this way, a more organic structure is used, the repair is much more functional than other applications. In addition, after some diseases, the eardrum can be seriously damaged. In such cases, devices may also be included in the ear as part of the surgery.

What Should Be Considered After Tympanoplasty?

 The post-operative process may differ from procedure to procedure. Since some operations are more complicated, they will also be reflected in the recovery period. Especially for people who have problems in the middle ear, an incision is made from the bone behind the ear during tympanoplasty. For this reason, people should be careful for about 15 days. They need to carefully clean the ears and keep them away from water to minimize the risk of infection. This process, which is followed by ear drops and antibiotics, can take up to a month. From the second month onwards, the patient will be greatly relieved and will be able to continue his plane travels.

The recovery process is faster in operations that are not performed behind the ear. However, regardless of the type of operation, patients need to make a special effort to keep the risk of infection to a minimum. Because when they get infected, the ear will be damaged again. In order for the operation to have an effect, the post-eardrum surgery process is an important part of the operation.