Tympanoplasty with or without mastoidectomy are ear surgeries performed in children to treat different but often related problems involving the middle ear and mastoid bone (the air-filled bone behind the ear). Tympanoplasty is performed to repair a perforated (hole in the) eardrum, which can result from chronic ear infections, trauma, or previous ear tubes that did not fully heal. A persistent perforation can cause ongoing hearing loss and recurrent drainage. Mastoidectomy is also performed at the same time when there is cholesteatoma (an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear) or chronic infection that has spread into the mastoid bone.

These procedures are performed under general anesthesia in children, with a pediatric anesthesiologist carefully monitoring your child throughout surgery. During tympanoplasty, the surgeon repairs the eardrum using a small graft of tissue, often taken from the child’s own body. In mastoidectomy, the surgeon carefully removes infected or diseased tissue from the mastoid bone using a microscope and specialized instruments. The goal is to eliminate disease, create a safe and dry ear, and, when possible, improve hearing.

The benefits of surgery include reducing or eliminating chronic ear drainage, preventing recurrent infections, improving hearing, and—especially in the case of cholesteatoma—preventing more serious complications such as damage to the hearing bones, balance structures, or nearby nerves. Risks of these surgeries include bleeding, infection, failure of the eardrum to fully heal, persistent or recurrent cholesteatoma, and continued hearing loss. Rarely, there may be issues affecting balance, taste changes, or injury to nearby structures such as the facial nerve, although these complications are very uncommon in experienced hands.

Recovery typically involves some ear fullness, mild discomfort, and drainage for a short period after surgery. Children go home the same day. Your surgeon may place packing in the ear that dissolves and it is critical to keep the ear dry during recovery. Children usually return to school within a few days, though activity restrictions (especially avoiding water in the ear and contact sports) may continue for a couple weeks. Follow-up visits are essential to monitor healing and ensure the best possible hearing and long-term outcome.

If your child has been diagnosed with a perforated eardrum or cholesteatoma, please reach out to our team to arrange a consult.  

Content created with assistance from Open AI, ChatGPT