Treatment of Tympanic Membrane Defect

About the disease

Tympanic membrane defect is the condition whereby the eardrum is affected for some reason. It can develop as a result of physical trauma which was so severe it affected the eardrum or it can develop as a result chemical or thermic trauma of the eardrum. As a result of tympanic membrane defect, the person can hear whooshing sound in the ear and also experience ear pain. Hearing decrease can occur as well, in this case hearing decrease is usually temporary and it is  restored after the eardrum was treated.

The severity of tympanic membrane defect depends on the extent of injury to the eardrum. In case of blunt or penetrating trauma, the person may have ear bleeding and also develop disorientation. Dizziness and head concussion can develop as well. In case of such trauma, which can be a fall, a motor vehicle accident, a fight or an assault, the person needs to call the ambulance immediately to prevent complications and also preserve the hearing.

Chemical or thermal burns can develop as a result of usage of  certain medications. Some ear drops, if used in excessive quantities, or some medicine that has ethanol as its component can affect the eardrum. Some ear drops have ethanol as one of their major components. These drops must not be prescribed if the eardrum is perforated as they can cause  tympanic membrane defect. If the person has an ear infection, the best solution would be to go to the otolaryngologist before starting any treatment which involves ear drops or antibiotics as different infection require different treatment plans.

Foreign bodies which got into the ear canal can affect the eardrum as well if they went too deep. It is important to remove them as soon as possible, again, only with the help of the specialists not to worsen the situation.     

Symptoms

• Pain in the ear
• Inflammation of the ear
• Decrease in hearing
• Dizziness
• Fever in some cases
• Strange discharges from the ear
• Swelling in some cases

Diagnosis

• During a general examination, the doctor will examine the ear canal to determine if there is inflammation or infection. The doctor will use special device which would allow him/her to see the whole ear canal and also determine if the eardrum is perforated.
• The doctor will ask if there had been any trauma to the ear or if the patient tried to treat the ear infection on his/her own.
• An otoscopy is a diagnostic method which allow the doctor to look into the ear even deeper and determine if there is inflammation or any foreign body.
• A CT scan, MRI or an X-ray are used in some cases if there is need to examine the ear closer. These imaging tests are usually recommended after otoscopy when there is need to examine the eardrum.

Treatment

• If eardrum was affected as a result of an infection, the doctor can prescribe special antibiotics and also anti-inflammatory medicines that would relieve the pain and inflammation.
• Tympanoplasty is the surgery which aims to reconstruct the eardrum and return it to its normal function. This surgery is indicated in severe cases when tympanic membrane defect caused hearing decrease or as a result of trauma of the eardrum.

Authors: Dr. Nadezhda Ivanisova, Dr. Sergey Pashchenko