Ventilation tubes (grommets) in Barcelona for adults and children

At a glance

What it is for: Ventilating the middle ear when there is persistent fluid or recurrent ear infections.
Adults: Performed in the office, under local anaesthesia.
Children: Performed in the operating room at the Clínica Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, under sedation.
Hospital stay: None; you go home the same day.
How long the tube stays: It usually comes out on its own after a few months.

What is a ventilation tube?

A ventilation tube, also called a grommet or tympanostomy tube, is a small tube about two millimetres long placed through the eardrum. It connects the middle ear with the outside so that air can get in and fluid trapped behind the eardrum can drain.

When is it advised?

Glue ear (otitis media with effusion): fluid behind the eardrum lasting for months and causing hearing loss.
Recurrent acute ear infections, especially in children, that are not controlled with medical treatment.
In adults, Eustachian tube dysfunction with fluid or a retracted eardrum, or fluid in one ear only that needs investigating.

In adults with fluid in one ear, the back of the nose is always examined with an endoscope to rule out a cause there.

How it is done

Adults: in the office, under the microscope with local anaesthetic on the eardrum. A small opening is made, the fluid is suctioned and the tube is inserted. It takes a few minutes and you go home straight afterwards.
Children: in the operating room at the Clínica Sagrada Familia, Barcelona, under sedation, as a day case. The adenoids are often removed at the same time when they contribute to the problem. See tonsil and adenoid surgery.

Afterwards

Some fluid may come out of the ear in the first few days.
A check-up in the office confirms the tube is working, followed later by a hearing test.
The ear should be protected from water as we advise.
The tube usually falls out on its own within a few months; check-ups continue until the eardrum has closed.

Risks

They are uncommon: ear discharge while the tube is in place, usually treated with drops; the tube coming out early or, on the contrary, staying longer than expected; and a small perforation that does not close after the tube comes out, which sometimes needs surgery to repair. Before the procedure we will explain the risks that apply to your case.

Frequently asked questions

Does it hurt to have a tube put in?

In adults it is done in the office with local anaesthetic on the eardrum, and most patients feel only pressure or a brief noise. Children have it done under sedation in the operating room, so they are not aware of the procedure.

Why are children treated in the operating room?

Because a child cannot keep still during ear microsurgery. Sedation makes it safe and quick. If the adenoids also need removing, this is done at the same time.

Can the ear get wet?

Normal showering and bathing are usually fine with care. For swimming, especially underwater or in the sea, we will tell you whether earplugs are advisable. You will receive specific instructions for your case.

Does the tube need to be removed?

Usually not. The eardrum pushes it out on its own over time, normally within a few months, and the hole closes. If it stays longer than expected, removal is considered at a check-up.

Will hearing improve?

When hearing loss is caused by fluid behind the eardrum, hearing usually improves once the tube is in. This is confirmed beforehand with a hearing test and tympanometry.

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Before surgery you receive the informed consent document of the Spanish Society of Otorhinolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery (SEORL-CCC), which explains the technique, its alternatives and its risks.

Guidance written by the team of Dr. Carlos Magriñá, an ENT surgeon with more than 35 years of experience in Barcelona. Every case needs an individual medical assessment.