EAR TUBE SURGERY
The ear tube is a cylindrical shaped tube that is used for the purpose of treatment depending on conditions such as fluid collection, inflammation due to any reason inside the ear, which is our hearing organ. Generally, ear tube is needed as a result of the failure of the eustachian tube and inflammation in the middle ear region.
When is the ear tube needed?
Many different diseases can occur in the ear during childhood. While some of them pass with different treatments, some may cause permanent damage such as hearing loss. Fluid accumulation in the ear is one of the most common ear diseases. A fluid called effusion is formed between the common ear and the eustachian tube, which is the area behind the eardrum. The eustachian tube, which cannot transfer fluid from the middle ear to the nasal region, causes the discharge to accumulate. This condition causes fever and hearing loss in the child and causes inflammation.
If the fluid stays in that area for a long time and is not treated, it may cause thinning in the eardrum. For longer periods, the fluid may damage the ossicular structures in the ear and cause hearing problems.
When should the ear tube be worn?
Treatment should be started with the help of a specialist, as discomfort such as fluid accumulation in the ear, inflammation frequently encountered in children may cause serious problems in the future. It is not necessary to insert a tube into the ear as a result of every fluid collected in the ear. In some cases, the treatment process is started by providing controls at certain intervals without the need for an ear tube. If the ear tube is required; If your child's ear inflammation lasts longer than 3 months, if the inflammation causes consequences such as loss of balance, hearing loss, fever, an ear tube should be worn. The child must be kept under control in such cases.
This situation, which is rarely seen in adults, arises as a result of acute infection (upper respiratory tract infection) and may be a precursor of tumor. It must be kept under the control of a specialist.
How to wear the ear tube?
The ear tube is attached to the eardrum. General anesthesia is applied before the operation and the patient is asleep for 15-30 minutes. The tube, placed in a mileage opening in the eardrum, provides fluid flow and air flow from here. Thus, inflammation is prevented. Ear tube treatment usually ranges from 6 to 12 months. The ear tube falls spontaneously during this time, but it is not possible to observe this tube falling from the inside of the ear from the outside. After surgery, it is necessary to be under the control of a specialist and to observe the function of the tube.
Ear tube surgeries of adult individuals are performed under local anesthesia, and a ear tube is inserted into the eardrum as a result of a millimeter cut. According to some cases, the adhesion process of the patient is started by removing the adenoid.