Glue Ear

Glue ear / middle ear effusions (named so as the consistency of the fluid is as thick as glue like bostik) is when fluid is present in the middle ear. This can lead to hearing loss, pain, feeling of water being present in the ear, fullness in the ear, dizziness and tinnitus. It is common for children to get this after an acute otitis media (middle ear infection) and the fluid can remain there for 3 months. Some children are asymptomatic but may present with hearing loss or speech delay. If and adult gets it, the ENT surgeon might do a post nasal space examination with a scope to exclude masses obstructing the Eustachian tube.

When is grommets needed? If the fluid remains longer than 3 months, if the patient is experiencing a lot of pain (pulling on the ear, not able to sleep, not responding to adequate analgesia), if speech delay is present or if a hearing test shows a conductive hearing loss.

Grommets serve to ventilate the ears and are mostly done as day case procedures under general anesthesia or for adults under local anesthesia. Grommets are designed to be extruded and this can happen anytime from 3 months to 2 years.

When you have grommets and an infection is present (pain, fever, discharge from the ears) this can be treated with topical anti biotic eardrops.

In 95 % of cases the hole will close after the grommets has fallen out.