The surgery, called a myringotomy, is a tiny incision in the eardrum. Any fluid, usually thickened secretions will be removed. In most situations, a small plastic tube (a tympanostomy tube) is inserted into the eardrum to keep the middle ear aerated for a prolonged period.. These ventilating tubes remain in place for six months to several years. Eventually, they will move out of the eardrum (extrude) and fall into the ear canal. Your doctor may remove the tube during a routine office visit or it may simply fall out of the ear.

Less common conditions that may call for the placement of ear tubes are malformation of the eardrum or Eustachian tube, Down's syndrome, cleft palate, and barotrauma (middle ear injury caused by a reduction of air pressure), according to the American Academy of Otolaryngology.

Quick GuideEar Infection Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

What are risks and complications of ear tubes?

While ear tube surgery is common, minor complications can occur in up to half of the children who have them inserted. Complications include:

Middle ear infections (otitis media) are common in children.

When a child has repeated ear infections or fluid build-up in the ears that do not go away easily or there are hearing problems or speech delays, a doctor may recommend surgery to insert an ear tube to allow the eardrum to equalize the pressure.

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Ear tube placement involves a tiny incision in the ear drum.
Anesthesia - Inhalation General anesthesia

A 6-year-old child is to undergo bilateral placement of ear tubes under general anesthesia, a 5-minute procedure. Not unlike many children of this age, he has a significant fear of needles. His mother states that he will under no circumstance hold still for the placement of an i.v.

Question

How can this child be anesthetized safely without an intravenous?

Summary: A 6-year-old child is to undergo bilateral placement of ear tubes under general anesthesia. He has a significant fear of needles and will not hold still for the placement of an i.v.

Best anesthetic technique: Inhalation anesthesia

Analysis

Objectives

Be familiar with the nomenclature regarding inhalation anesthetics.
Introduce the types of equipment used to administer inhalation anesthetics.
Become familiar with some of the advantages and disadvantages unique to individual inhalation anesthetics.

Considerations

This patient can be easily anesthetized using an inhalation induction, where the child inspires an anesthetic vapor. First, in order to reduce the child's anxiety when asked to breathe through a mask, flavors are placed in the mask such as grape, bubble gum, peppermint, etc. If possible, monitors are placed prior to induction. If this is not possible, monitors are placed as soon as the child allows. Since this patient is healthy and the duration of the procedure is only about 5 minutes, an intravenous line will probably not be required.

Content 6

Myringotomy

Update March 18, 2019

Quick GuideEar Infection Symptoms, Causes, and Treatment

What are risks and complications of ear tubes?

Question