Eardrum within two to four weeks. The prognosis becomes more guarded as the force of injury increases. The pressure of fluid in an infected middle ear onto the eardrum may cause it to rupture. Usually this consists of a small hole (perforation), which allows fluid to drain out. If this does not occur naturally, a myringotomy (tympanotomy, tympanostomy) can be performed. A myringotomy is a surgical procedure in which a tiny incision is created in the eardrum to relieve pressure caused by excessive buildup of fluid, or to drain pus from the middle ear. The fluid or pus comes from a
Myringotomy the incidence of post-operative otorrhea, tube blockage, or extrusion. Evidence suggests that tympanostomy tubes only offer a short-term hearing improvement in children with simple OME who have no other serious medical problems. No effect on speech and language development has yet been shown. A retrospective study of success rates in 96 adults and 130 children with otitis media treated with CO laser myringotomy showed about a 50% cure rate at six months in both groups. To date, there have been no published systematic reviews. Balloon dilation eustachian tuboplasty (BDET), a new treatment, has proven to be effective in treating OME