The Portland Hospital
205-209 Great Portland Street W1W 5AH London
Grommets for glue ear (Myringotomy)
Grommets are tiny tubes that are inserted into the ear to allow air to circulate in the middle ear.
What are grommets, and why are they inserted?
A grommet is a tiny plastic tube with a hole in the centre which can be inserted into the eardrum to help with glue ear. Glue ear is a build-up of fluid behind the eardrum.
Glue ear can make it hard to hear and may have an impact your child’s speech development, or can be a sign of more serious disease if found in adults.
Need to know
A myringotomy is a procedure where a hole is created in the ear drum to allow fluid to drain out that is trapped in the middle ear. During a myringotomy for a child or adult, grommets will be inserted, these small tubes allow air to pass through the eardrum, keeping the air pressure on either side equal. The grommets remain in the ear following the procedure and will fall out naturally within 6-12 months.
This procedure is usually done as a day case, and followed up with outpatient hearing tests to monitor the level and improvement of hearing.
Your consultant will explain how to prepare and what will happen when the grommets are inserted.
You or your child should be able to go back to normal one or two days after the grommet operation.
Within a few weeks, you or your child will be able to go swimming. Flying is not a problem with grommets.
Your consultant will arrange a hearing test in the first few weeks following surgery to confirm that hearing has improved. They'll schedule follow-up hearing tests every few months until the grommets fall out, the grommets will fall out naturally after six months to a year.
Our ENT consultants
Our consultant are experienced in diagnosing and managing conditions of the ear, nose and throat in adults and children.
Our Grommets for glue ear locations
The Wilmslow Hospital
52-54 Alderley Road SK9 1NY Wilmslow
London Bridge Hospital
27 Tooley Street SE1 2PR London
The Shard Outpatients
The Shard, 32 St Thomas Street SE1 9BS London
This content is intended for general information only and does not replace the need for personal advice from a qualified health professional.