Symptoms & Treatments
Ear Tubes
When individuals experience chronic ear infections or become unresponsive to medications, an operation called myringotomy may be recommended. This involves a small surgical incision in the eardrum to remove the fluid or pus that has accumulated. Then the surgeons at Mid-Kansas Ear, Nose and Throat insert a tiny hollow tube into the opening of the eardrum. The tube helps equalize air pressure and prevent fluid accumulation in the middle ear. It also improves hearing.
The tubes will stay in place until the eustachian tube returns to normal, which may take several weeks or months. The patient will notice remarkable improvement in hearing and a welcome decrease in the frequency of ear infections. The tubes will dislodge over time without assistance.
Ear infections may recur from time-to-time associated with chronically infected adenoids and tonsils. If this is a recurring problem for your child, your doctor may recommend surgically removing the adenoids, tonsils, or both. This might be done at the same time as the ear tubes are inserted into the eardrum. Allergies may also require treatment.