Drainage in the eardrum

On this page you will find information about placing drains in the eardrum.

Eardrum drainage is a treatment that involves placing a small tube in the eardrum to relieve your child's symptoms of fluid in the middle ear. Drains are placed if your child is bothered by pain, has restless sleep, has delayed language development due to hearing loss, or has recurrent acute middle ear infections with fever and pain.


Fluid in the middle ear

The middle ear is a cavity on the inside of the eardrum and lies between the outer ear and the inner ear. The middle ear contains the three smallest bones in the body that conduct sound from the eardrum to the inner ear. There must be air in the middle ear. If there is no air in the middle ear, but fluid or inflammation, this means that the eardrum does not move freely and hearing is impaired. This also causes pain when the child lies down. These problems can be eliminated by placing drains in the eardrum.


Most children experience fluid in the middle ear when they have a cold. In most cases, this is temporary, but in some children the fluid in the middle ear does not go away on its own and these children may benefit from having a drain placed in the eardrum.

As the condition often resolves on its own, you will typically be offered a period of observation before being offered drainage. In some children, the fluid in the middle ear is caused by the eustachian tubes being blocked due to childhood polyps. In these cases, the child may benefit from having the childhood polyps removed. However, this requires the child to be older than two years and weigh more than 12.5 kg.


symptoms of fluid in the middle ear

- Crying when the child lies down.

- Problems falling asleep and rapid awakening once the child has fallen asleep.

- Frequent awakenings at night.

- Delayed language development.

- Touches the ear.

- Tumbling and falling, poor balance


about the operation

The actual placement of the drain takes place while the child is under full anesthesia and only lasts a short time. When the child has been discharged from the recovery room, you can go home again and the child can come to the institution the day after the drain placement.


  • What is eardrum drainage?

    Eardrum drains are small tubes that are inserted into the eardrum to help drain fluid out of the middle ear and improve ventilation. 

    The drains are often used in children, but adults may also need them, especially if they have recurring middle ear infections (otitis media) or fluid buildup in the middle ear that affects hearing or causes discomfort.


    Purpose of eardrum drains

    Eardrum drains help to:

    - Prevent fluid buildup: Persistent fluid in the middle ear can lead to hearing loss and infections.

    - Reduce the risk of otitis media: Middle ear infections can be painful, and drains can reduce the frequency of them.

    - Improve hearing: Fluid in the ear can muffle sounds, and drains can help restore normal hearing.

  • How should we behave after the operation?

    AFTER DRAIN INSTALLATION

    After drains have been placed, they should be checked every 6-12 months during a short consultation to determine whether the drains are still functioning properly.


    Swimming pool: 

    Children with drains are welcome to go swimming and do not need to use earplugs. However, we do not recommend that the child dive below one meter. We recommend that you wait a week after the operation before going swimming.

  • My child has had a drain put in and now his ear is leaking...

    Efter anlæggelse af dræn i trommehinden etableres der en passage som gør, at væsken kan komme ud og luft kan komme ind i mellemøret. Dette er drænets ønskede effekt. 


    Imidlertid sker der ofte det, at når barnet bliver forkølet, så dannes der så at sige snot i mellemøret, som løber ud igennem drænet. Dette er oftest ikke generende for barnet, men kan gøre at barnet ikke kan komme i institution og kan være generende for alle andre idet sekretionen kan være ildelugtende og klistre til håret og tøjet. 


    Vi anbefaler derfor at man straks øret begynder at flyde, begynder at dryppe øret med øredråber med antibiotika som du er blevet udskrevet på operationsdagen. 

    Såfremt øregangen er helt fyldt op med sekret, skal denne skylles ren inden øret dryppes - men alt dette bliver du både mundtligt og skriftligt informeret om, i forbindelse med operationen, således at du aldrig er i tvivl om, hvordan dit barn med nye dræn behandles bedst muligt.