HELP

i HAVE A 10 YR OLD WHO HAS HAD 14 SETS OF TUBES AND LOST 30% HEARING IN HIS EAR NOW ITS AT 90% I GOT A SECOND OPENION AND THEY ARE SAYIN HE HAS NO EAR DRUM AT ALL AND NEEDS A NEW ONE. HOW DOES A EAR DRUM JUST GO AWAY? AND HOW AND ALSO WHAT DOES IT TAKE TO BUILD A NEW ONE?

[Dr. Kokil Mathur]

Hi!
I am sorry to ear about your son, and wish him speedy recovery. An ear drum is not lost—actually it gets torn due to internal ear pressure, infection, fluid drainage, tubes etc. This is repaired by a process called tympanoplasty. The procedure can also involve repair or reconstruction of the small bones behind the tympanic membrane or ossiculoplasty. If only the ear drum which is actually a membrane needs to be repaired, then a graft is taken from tissue under the skin over the temporalis muscle (behind the ear) and a new intact ear drum created. Please discuss the details with his doctor.
Take care!