Ear Tube surgeries, along
with
tonsillectomies, are one of the most common operations in children.
These
common pediatric procedures are often painless and have little to no
discomfort. However, a child who is having
constant ear
infections may or may not require the need for surgery.
“There are two main reasons
a child
would require ear tubes,” says Daniel Bruegger, MD, chief
Otorhinolaryngology
at Children's Mercy
Hospitals
and Clinics. “Children with
recurrent
ear infections or prolonged middle ear fluid would be candidates for
ear tube
surgery.”
Surgery to place ear tubes
in a
child’s ears requires minimal anesthesia and takes about 5 to 10
minutes. The tubes are inserted through a
small
incision in the ear drum. The
tubes are
about one millimeter in diameter.
Recovery time after the procedure is minimal as the child will be
feeling normal just hours after surgery.
Children who have ear tube
surgery
experience little to no change in their normal routine, says Dr.
Bruegger.
“It is scary for many
parents to find
out that your child may need surgery,” says Dr. Bruegger. “But, if the
advantages
far outweigh the risks for the child to have surgery, and the child
will be
having fewer infections or pain, thus helping them feel better . . . it
is
worth it.”