What is Tympanoplasty?

Tympanoplasty is an ear surgery to repair a defect in the tympanic membrane, by placing a graft, either medial or lateral to the tympanic membrane. This surgical procedure aims at closing the perforations in the eardrum that not only hurts but also causes reduced hearing. A perforated eardrum may result due to chronic infection or, less commonly, from ear or eardrum trauma – e.g. object in the ear, a slap on the ear, or an explosion very close by.

What to expect after Tympanoplasty Operation?

• Originally, you might have some blood coloured oozing from the wound.
• This should stop after 3 days
• If there is any dizziness or a sense of imbalance that continues, please call the ENT
• You cannot allow any water into the ear, hence, no showering is allowed unless a doctor clearance has been obtained in the tympanoplasty post-op check-up
• To prevent water from entering the ears, use Vaseline jelly on a cotton ball and put the Vaseline side towards the ear. This helps create a water barrier
• You must sneeze with mouth kept open; this will help avoid any pressure to the eardrum
• You must return to the ENT clinic 1 week following an operation for a tympanoplasty post-op check-up

• Do not blow your nose before the doctor has confirmed complete healing of the eardrum.
• Whenever there is any need to clear secretions from the nose, they must be drawn back in the throat and you should spit it out. The nose may subsequently be dabbed with tissue paper. When you catch a cold, this is a very important step to be followed.
• Never pop your ears by holding your nose and blowing air through the Eustachian tube to the ear.
• After you have removed the dressing, wash the incision twice a day, until it is cured. Apply a little bit of Neosporin or bacitracin into the incision after cleaning. The sutures will fall out by themselves and are soluble.
• Avoid bending or heavy lifting (over 20 lbs) for about a month after the operation.
• At times, you may experience other, clicking or popping noises.
• Your ear may feel full.
• Irregular shooting pains aren’t unusual.
• Occasionally, it might feel like there’s liquid in your ear.

• Dressings – The big dressing on the ear and the wound drain is going to be removed in our office the day following the operation. Utilize prescribed ear drops following dressing removal. Place a clean cotton ball after using drops.

About two to ten drainage from the operated ear is common. You might have to change the cotton ball in the first couple of days. It will be much lesser each day. The colour of the drainage which is initially bloody will start changing to yellowish and will be subsequently clean and colour odour free.  

Your incision might be next to your ear. The incision must be washed with a with peroxide to remove blood clots and polysporin ointment should be applied subsequently. However, if you have Steri Strips within the incision, you do not need to wash and apply ointment to the wound. The steri strips will come off by themselves or could be removed after 10 days.

• Diet – There are no restrictions. You may resume your usual diet. Advancement as tolerated and you might choose to begin with fluids.

• Medication – There is not much pain with ear operation. When you move home, you may be offered with pain medicine. Don’t take any medicine without having a doctor clearance. You must esp. consume all antibiotics as per prescription and use pain medicine only till really required. Unless otherwise instructed, resume your usual drugs as prescribed by your primary care doctor.

• This may force air to the middle ear, also interrupt recovery.  Wiping the nose sniffling is nice.
• • In case you need to sneeze, sneeze with your mouth open to enable the air to escape, rather than be pressured to the ears.  
  • Avoid bending together with the head for two weeks.  If you have to bend, bend in the knees and keep your head up as far as you can.  
  • You will sleep however you’re most comfortable.  Maintaining the mind marginally elevated when sleeping can decrease swelling through the initial week.
  • Patients may frequently have some dizziness or balance problems after surgery.   

• Prevent aeroplane flights to the first fourteen days after surgery, ideally no flying 1 month following the operation.  If you have any air travel plans, they have to start with at least a month’s gap from the surgery.

• • The head of the mattress may be raised by two or three inches.  Following the first week, then you might sleep with no head of the bed elevated.  
  • You should avoid all actions that might raise the blood pressure in the face region.  Therefore, you shouldn’t blow your nose for three weeks. Attempt to prevent coughing for your first few weeks post-operatively.  If you must sneeze, allow it to come from your mouth just like a cough.
  • Excessive coughing must likewise be avoided. You should avoid gym courses or rigorous athletic activity for a month following the operation.  
  • Swimming, diving and water skiing ought to be avoided for 2 months following the operation.  In circumstances of stapedectomy operation, jet travel ought to be avoided for at least six weeks following the operation.  
  • Scuba diving isn’t recommended after ear surgery.  Don’t drive a vehicle for a week following the operation.  In case you’ve had a stapedectomy, wait fourteen days prior to driving.  
  • Eyeglasses may be worn the moment the surgical dressing is removed.   Contact lenses could be inserted daily following an operation.
  • Tub bathrooms or showering may be resumed once the individual feels powerful enough to achieve that.  

• The hair can be washed with somebody’s help.  It is essential, however, that in the care you use hair dryers or hair sprays, etc, you exercise extreme caution and keep them away from ear because that could have the ear numb and hurt if care isn’t taken care of well.

As patient recovery is ensured by postoperative nursing care, postoperative care is a vital element of the curing process. Tympanoplasty post-operative care for individuals might be easy and may be short term or long term or may entail procedure for a few.

In case of long term tympanoplasty post-operative care, a patient is much better off within the warmth or home rather than in a hospital. Aiding this kind of care is something that we provide from our home care nursing services. As a part of our services, our group of nurses and other caregivers, would come and see you and offer care. In some cases, the nurse may remain with the individual for 24*7 monitoring and attention.

Therefore, if you require nursing care in your home, look no further and trust your loved ones’ care to Care24 and we guarantee a satisfactory and quick recovery of the individual in the most effective and fastest way possible.