Ear Surgery Tympanoplasty

Tympanoplasty surgery for the treatment of perforated eardrums and chronic middle ear diseases is a surgical procedure that technically involves repairing the eardrum and the auditory system in the middle ear. It may also involve the removal of inflammation in the middle ear and the mastoid bone behind the ear.

This surgery can be performed at different levels depending on the type and extent of the disease. Tympanoplasty can be performed by repairing the hole in the eardrum only (myringoplasty), repairing the eardrum and correcting the ossicular system that provides sound transmission in the middle ear (tympanoplasty), removing inflammation that has spread into the mastoid bone (mastoidectomy) or a combination of these procedures (tympanomastoidectomy).

In Which Situations Is Tympanoplasty Surgery Performed?

It can be performed to improve the patient's quality of life and prevent hearing loss in the future if the eardrum is perforated, but the hearing loss is not obvious and there is no water ingress or discharge into the ear. This surgery eliminates the need to protect the patient's ear against water.

The patient has the freedom to enter the water without the need for ear protection. However, if the hole in the eardrum is not closed, problems such as recurrent ear discharges may occur.

On the other hand, if a type of disease called cholesteatoma is detected, which eats away inflamed tissue within the mastoid bone, it may be necessary to remove this inflammation as soon as possible. In this case, the preservation or restoration of the hearing system is a secondary goal. The main goal is to prevent facial paralysis, hearing loss from the inner ear or intracranial complications (such as meningitis, brain abscess).

Operation Technique and Process

The technique of tympanoplasty surgery may vary depending on the type of disease, the location of the hole, the structure of the ear canal, whether the mastoid bone will be intervened and the surgeon's preferences. The most common tissue used to repair the eardrum during surgery is the temporal muscle sheath. Prepared materials such as cartilage membrane in front of the ear canal or sterile brain membrane fragments can also be used.

If there is damage to the ossicles that transmit hearing, the hearing system can be repaired using prostheses made of various materials or parts from the cartilage in front of the ear canal.

After surgery, patients can usually leave the hospital for dressing on the first day. Recovery after non-invasive surgery on the mastoid bone is usually completed within 10-14 days. Patients may be advised to use ear drops containing antibiotics and cortisone to prevent infections in the surgical area and to support healing.

In cases where intervention into the mastoid bone is required during surgery, the healing process may be longer and hearing gain may be lower than in other cases.

In conclusion, tympanoplasty surgery may differ depending on the specific conditions of the patients and the type of disease. The success rate of the surgery depends on the extent of the disease and the factors encountered during surgery. Therefore, the surgeon's experience and the patient's specific condition play an important role in deciding how to perform the surgery. The postoperative recovery process may also vary according to the patient's characteristics and follow-up may be required.