Minimally Invasive Tympanoplasty: An Expert Overview by Dr. Chow Chun-Kuen

Minimally Invasive Tympanoplasty: An Expert Overview by Dr. Chow Chun-kuen

The following content is excerpted from an interview with Hong Kong ENT specialist, Dr. Chow Chun-Kuen, explaining the principles and benefits of minimally invasive tympanoplasty.

Various conditions can lead to tympanic membrane (eardrum) damage, such as excessive force during ear cleaning or chronic otitis media. If not properly managed, these issues may result in eardrum perforation and potential hearing loss. Traditional eardrum repair procedures are often highly invasive and entail prolonged recovery times. However, a more straightforward minimally invasive tympanoplasty is now available; patients can undergo this procedure under local anesthesia and be discharged on the same day. Remarkably, even those with decades-old eardrum damage can experience significant auditory improvements post-surgery.

Eardrum perforations can cause symptoms like pus discharge from the ear, tinnitus (hearing noise), and inexplicable nasal airflow during exhalation—symptoms many patients tend to neglect. In 1999, Dr. Chow pioneered a simplified technique for eardrum repair using a minimally invasive approach through the outer ear canal to harvest a small section of muscle membrane for repairing the damaged eardrum.

Procedure Duration Approximately 45 Minutes

Patients undergo local anesthesia for this procedure which takes roughly 30 to 45 minutes to complete. The incision is minimal and located within the inner ear without requiring sutures as it naturally heals within two days post-operation—a stark contrast to conventional methods that involve making incisions behind the ear up to five centimeters long needing ten to twenty stitches along with general anesthesia and hospitalization for at least two days.

A Case Study

Mr. Cheung, who served in an executive role, encountered severe bilateral middle-ear infection due to polluted water exposure while swimming years ago coupled with improper use of over-the-counter ear drops causing both his eardrums’ rupture. After undergoing traditional surgery on his left ear twenty-five years ago where he recovered successfully; three years prior faced recurrent infections affecting his right ear leading him difficulty concentrating at work compounded by strenuous efforts needed for listening exacerbating fatigue levels significantly until opting for this advanced surgical method has progressively restored his hearing capacities encompassing perceiving stereo sounds too.

Absence of Adverse Reactions

Accordingly noted by Dr. Chow majority seek tympanoplastic owing chronic otitis media progressing acute states involving pus generation alongside occasional accidental puncture treatment inadequacy reaches beyond normal self-healing approximately spanning few months necessitating operative intervention promptly warned ignoring latent risks deepening untreated paths possibly culminating continuous vertigo episodes thus progressive deterioration optionally avoidable through prompt procedural recourses ensuring preserving optimized auditory functions future devoid adverse postoperative implications whatsoever additional constraints comprising extensive miniaturized perforations width narrowness preclude eligibility newer operant techniques deployed herein.

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Source:

HK ENT Specialist Ltd.

ENT Head and Neck Surgery Centre

For ENT Services, Audiology & Speech Therapy,

Sleep Disordered Breathing Management,

Hearing Aid Prescription & Medical Cosmetic Services

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