Risks of Tympanoplasty

Your eardrum is a thin membrane that transmits sound to your inner ear. When the eardrum is perforated, doctors often suggest waiting for a period of time to see if the condition will heal on its own. If the tear does not heal, tympanoplasty (eardrum repair) is often suggested. Tympanoplasty is effective between 85 and 90 percent of the time. There are, however, a number of possible complications that patients experience after undergoing tympanoplasty.

Recurring Tears

• The process of tympanoplasty involves grafting skin onto the eardrum to repair the tear. One possible risk of tympanoplasty is that the grafted skin will not heal, which makes the eardrum weak and more likely to tear again. This is more likely in patients who have a history of not healing from wounds.

Noises in the Ear

• Tinnitus is the scientific name for sounds that occur inside of the ear. These sounds are echo-like noises that often occur as a result of the original tear. Sometimes these sounds actually worsen as a result of tympanoplasty. If this does happen, it is rarely permanent. Tinnitus should eventually dissipate as the ear heals from the operation.

Hearing Loss

• Another risk of tympanoplasty is hearing loss. There can be a number of causes for tympanoplasty-related hearing loss. Once cause can be scar tissue that forms in the middle ear after the operation. Another cause is a perilymph fistula, which is a small tears between the middle ear in the inner ear.