Eardrum perforation, or a ruptured eardrum, is repaired with a procedure called myringoplasty.
If the hole is small enough, it can be fixed in-office with a fat or paper patch. A small piece of special paper or gel foam is placed on the hole and temporarily seals it. This encourages the body’s natural healing process and, over time, the hole heals itself and seals permanently.
This procedure is usually done under general anesthesia, but a local anesthetic can be used as well. The doctor appraches the perforation from behind the ear or through the ear canal.
If the perforation was small, you may be able to go home that same day. However, you will need to rest for about 2 weeks and come back in for a follow-up.
