Does Tympanoplasty restore hearing loss?

Question

I want a breif answer from people who has done the surgery.. or people who knows about the surgery....

Answer 1

I have undergone several surgeries on both ears. My surgeries were Tympanomastoidectomies, but they are similar to the Tympanoplasty. Tympanoplasty surgery is used to repair the ear drum, while the Tympanomastoidectomy is further involved & includes the middle ear. In my case, I suffer with recurrent Cholesteotomas in both ears.

When you have any procedures/surgeries performed on your ears, you run the risk of losing some or all of your hearing. I have a 60-75% hearing loss in one ear due to the damage that the Cholesteomas caused before I was diagnosed. The other ear is almost 100%, but that is because I was diagnosed pretty early with the latest round of Cholesteotomas.

As far as what you can expect, this is what I learned from the surgeries on my ears:

1. The incision is BEHIND the ear, so the scar is hidden.
2. When you come out of surgery, you have a HUGE bandage over the entire ear. This bandage has to remain in place for about 24 hours before you can remove it.
3. Have someone who can stay with you for a couple of days after the surgery. You will need it ... I had teenagers at home when I had my surgeries, and they were lifesavers at times.
4. You can't get any water into the ear canal until the doctor tells you it is okay. This makes washing your hair a little problematic; however, it can be worked around. For men/boys, get a shorter hair cut that requires minimal maintenance. For women/girls, put longer hair into a braid or get a perm. Another way to do this is to find a waterless shampoo ~ these require not additional water or rinsing. (You can find the shampoo at most pharmacies like Eckerd or Walgreens) ... SIDE NOTE: Talk to your doctor in advance of the surgery (& remind him again the day of the surgery) that you don't want a lot of your hair shaved behind the ear. My first surgeon shaved a 2" strip from the base of my ear to the top of my ear. When I had to have the additional surgeries, I talked to the surgeon & asked him to keep the amount of hair shaved to a minimum, & he respected my wishes.
5. Sleep with your head elevated on a couple of pillows. This helps any with any drainage that occurs after the surgery.
6. NO SUDDEN HEAD MOVEMENTS or you will get dizzy and/or sick! Make sure that you take your time when getting up from a sitting position & don't turn your head too fast.
7. NO driving until the doctor tells you it's okay to do so. The movements of the head & neck while driving can make you dizzy, as well.

The surgery is done on an outpatient basis, so you will go home the same day. You are sent home with anti-biotics & pain meds. Make sure you have some clean, soft cloths to help with the drainage.

The ear canal will most likely be packed with cotton, which the ENT will eventually remove. You will most likely be given prescription ear drops .... It is important that you use these b/c they will keep the packing moist & that makes the removal of the packing easier & less painful.

I hope this helps a little bit ...

Answer 2

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Answer 3

It really depends on the amount of hearing loss and if the hearing loss is caused completely by the hole in the eardrum or not. If there is other causes to the hearing loss (such as sensorineural hearing loss involving your inner ear) you may not get restoration of your hearing. There are some cases where the tympanoplasty is performed purely for the purposes of creating a healthier middle ear system by closing the tympanic perforation.

Your surgeon and audiologist can tell you better based on your audiogram and physical exam what you can realistically expect.

Good luck

Answer 4

Tympanoplasty Recovery

Answer 5

T. is many things - it all depends where your hearing loss really is situated. Could you be more specific?