Tympanoplasty Surgery

No surgery like that but my son and daughter had tubes with no problems. Once the tube fell out they could go back to normal swimming and bathing without the ear plugs with no hearing loss at all. My other daughter never had to have tubes, no problem with ear infections, but was apparently born with very little if any hearing in one ear, the other ear has normal hearing. I'm wondering what the Dr. has said. That should not have happened with just an ear drum patch I would think. My dad had a busted eardrum as a kid and no hearing loss in that ear. Did your son have fluid build up behind the repaired ear drum that could cause temporary hearing loss? My daughter's was inner ear and he wanted to do an MRI to see if it could be repaired but he really didn't think it could, just a last ditch effort that we decided not to do it since she was so little and my aunt had just had an allergic reaction during one. Looking back I wish we had gone ahead just in case. She is now 25, only had a little trouble in school because of the loss but nothing major. She self adjusted by turning her head when she didn't understand. Her IQ kept her from any special classes. She did everything the other kids did, even cheerleading. I might check another doctor (we did) just to see if they did something wrong or if it can be reversed.
K.

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I am 55 and have had the surgery twice, one at age 9 and the other after college. I too have a hearing loss. During the 2nd surgery they found that the little bones had calcium deposits and were not moving...causing the hearing loss. They removed the calcium and my hearing returned.....but once again my hearing has gone. I have lived with my this most of my life and do just fine.....some people don't even know I can't hear! I read lips!
I suggest finding the best doctor possible and re-evaluate.

He'll be fine, but it can effect his school work.

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This is scaring me a bit, as my oldest just had her eardrum patched for the same reason (although she had a graft done, not a paper patch). She's going in for a checkup on Monday to see how it's healing and will have her hearing checked a few weeks after that. And, it has been recommended that my 2nd have tubes...I'm re-thinking having that done, due to the problems with #1. Thanks for bringing this issue up, M., and best of luck!

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I worked in the ENT field for 12 years and I have heard of this happening often. I am sorry that this happened to your baby. I would get him help right away with therapy for his hearing while he is young and can adjust. I would also go for a second opinion and see if any malpractice played a factor.

J.

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Hi M.,

I had this procedure done when I was 10. I'd had tubes at 7 and the hole had never closed up. During those three years I had numerous infections and I lost hearing, but I'm not sure which (or both) to credit it to. My loss was closer to around 40-45%. I know that this isn't the same as losing it all, but I thought that you'd like to hear someone's similar story. What has your doctor said about it?

L.

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Hi,

The eardrum is only 3 layers of skin cells thick. Many people have tubes put in and the holes grow closed fine. I had tubes twice and didn't have a problem. But yes, sometimes surgery is needed to fix it, a patch is put in to aid the tissue to grow.
There have been many statements made about hearing test results in the responses. To better understand all the tests that are done and what you are being told at the doctor's office by the audiologist or tech, here is some info.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tympanogram
This measures the pressure behind the eardrum. It can be normal in a deaf person.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pure_tone_audiometry
This has a diagram of the ear. Please note, there is air conduction and bone conduction. A hole in the eardrum would affect air conduction. Air conduction is how the whole ear is working. Bone conduction shows how the nerve works. Bone conduction shows the potential. Air conduction shows the real situation. A person could have a hole in their ear and have normal hearing. It depends where the hole is in the ear drum and how big it is.

About your son's hearing test from March 11, what test showed no hearing in that ear? Was it bone or air conduction? Or was it tympanogram which is how the eardrum moves at different pressure and shows if there is negative pressure or fluid behind the eardrum.

Others have pointed out the flaw of a hearing test when the person giving the test gives clues of when they are presenting tones. That is why it is important that an audiologist be the one doing the tests.

Calcium deposits on the bones of the middle ear is a different condition not related to a hole in the eardrum. The formation of deposits on the bones in the middle ear is a disease that isn't usually found in young children. It is more common in adults and can run in families.

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