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What is new drum repair surgery?
Majority of patients coming with ear discharge or hole in ear drum or hearing loss when advised Tympanoplasty or Tympano-mastoidectomy ask what is new ear drum? Tympanoplasty means exploration of middle ear , removal of disease if there any and repair of ear drum &/or ossicles (3 tiny bones for hearing). New drum formation takes place after 3 wks or more, after we put temporalis fascia taken from behind & above pinna or perchondrium &/or cartilage as graft when disease demand only ,then mastiod bone (which is extension of middle ear cleft behind) is also drilled open or removed. Bones of hearing may be refashioned from existing ones if needed or may be cartilage or titanium etc prosthesis can be used to improve hearing. Successful operation means stoppage of discharge, closure of hole and improvement in hearing. Patient should not have complaints of persistent pain or itching hence preoperative nasal sinus and throat infections must be treated and pt must avoid cold exposure and infections. Head wash must be avoided for 3wks so also forceful blowing nose. However a valsalva exercise in absence of cold is beneficial. Microsurgery of ear today has very high success rate,done under local anaesthesia except in children and should not be feared. patient can go back to his/her town next day and resume work on day 3rd.