Grommets / Medits

Middle Ear Drainage and Insertions of Tympanostomy Tubes (MEDITS) is an operation performed to drain fluid from the middle ear cleft. This is performed predominantly in children.

The symptoms of fluid in the middle ear cleft involves diminished hearing acuity, altered behaviour, recurrent infection, persisting or recurrent earache.

The presence of fluid in the middle ear is always associated with decreased hearing acuity and occasionally with fluctuating pain and sense of unsteadiness.

The procedure is performed under light general anaesthetic. Using an operating microscope, a small cut is made in the eardrum, the fluid is sucked out and a bypass tube or grommet is inserted.

These grommets stay in place for between 6 – 12 months and fall out by themselves.