Procedure

• Entire surgery through the ear canal (no incision, no scar)

• Tiny hole made in eardrum

• Any fluid suctioned out and Grommet inserted

• Antibiotic drops instilled

Postoperative

• Minimal pain for one or two days and Panado syrup should suffice

• Fluid leaking from the ear (this is what we want to clear the infection!) If it happens weeks or months after the surgery, you can instill an antibiotic drop which directly treats the middle ear instead of the repeated oral antibiotics like before)

• Avoid water in ears for one week only, thereafter child can bath and swim as normal

• Grommets can stay in for anything from one month to one year, but on average they fall out spontaneously after about 6 months

Possible complications

• Minimal bleeding

• Damage to ear canal skin

• Grommet falling into middle ear requiring lifting eardrum to get it out

• Blocked grommet

• Perforation in the eardrum requiring surgery (myringoplasty) to repair it

• Very rarely eardrum can grow inwards and cause a keratin pocket / cholesteatoma

• Very rarely hearing impairment due to the fact that the eardrum is directly connected to the ossicles and the inner ear

• Sore throat from tube to ventilate during anaesthesia

• Anaesthetic risks

Follow up

• Please phone reception to book your follow up appointment

• Two weeks to ensure grommets in place

• Any time if worried about discharge or pain due to a blocked grommet

• Six months to see if they have fallen out or having recurrent infections