As most perforations heal in time surgery is rarely the immediate treatment but it is necessary to keep the ear dry to try to prevent further infections. If it fails to heal repair of the perforation may be carried out usually under a general anaesthetic (myringoplasty). Sometimes the surgery can be carried out down the ear canal with only a small incision above the ear to take the graft used to repair the drum. Cartilage is used more commonly now as the graft and seems associated with good success rates. If there is some damage to the ossicles this may be repaired at the same time. Occasionally a perforation occurs in children and may be repaired around the age of 9years old.
Once the ear drum has been successfully repaired there should be no further infections of the ear.
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Myringoplasty
