Myringoplasty is a surgical operation that is performed to close a hole in the ear. Specifically, it closes a hole in the ear’s ear drum. Myringoplasties are performed to prevent an infection from occurring over and over again in the future. If a hole is left in the ear drum, the individual may suffer not only from infections but also from poor hearing. The operation does not always improve hearing but sometimes it does. This should be viewed as an unexpected positive result.
While some people may be content to live their lives with a small hole in their ear drum, this is usually not the case with young children. A hole in the ear drum precludes a young person from obtaining certain types of jobs and also stops them from performing activities such as scuba diving. The elderly also lean towards having a myringoplasty performed as a hole in the ear drum has the potential to stop them from wearing hearing aids (due to infections).
The Myringoplasty Surgery
The myringoplasty operation involves the procurement of a very thin piece of tissue from beneath the skin that covers the temporalis fascia muscles and placing it below the ear drum. This is performed with an incision from behind the ear or an incision from within the ear canal that moves outwards toward the ear’s front. Once the operation is complete, a dressing is inserted into the ear canal and another fresh dressing can be placed on the ear as well.
After the Myringoplasty
There may be a bloody mucous like fluid that comes out of the ear canal after the operation. If it is green or yellow in color and has a bad odor, it is likely not an infection but the patient should contact his doctor as soon as possible. Two weeks after the operation has been completed, the doctor will conduct a review of the patient and take out the sponge dressing. Six weeks after the operation, it will be possible to determine whether the graft is a success. At this point, a hearing test is conducted. Aside from the appearance of blood, other side effects are quite rare and minor. They only include slight pains. Yet patients should realize that the potential to worsen hearing is possible. Most myringoplasty operations are successful. The majority of ear nose and throat surgeons have a 75% success rate or higher.