Insertion of tympanostomy tubes (grommets)

Glue ear (otitis media with effusion) corresponds to the persistent presence of fluid behind the eardrum. Very common in children, it causes hearing loss that can affect language, attention and learning, as well as recurrent acute ear infections. When the fluid persists despite treatments, the insertion of tympanostomy tubes — often called grommets — is the standard treatment. These are tiny tubes placed in the eardrum through a microscopic incision: they allow permanent ventilation of the middle ear and drainage of the fluid. The procedure is very quick, performed under a brief general anaesthesia in children, and the improvement in hearing is usually immediate. The tubes generally fall out on their own after several months, once they have done their job. At Clinique Pasteur Tunis, tube insertion is performed by ENT surgeons accustomed to very young children, in the reassuring setting of day-case admission: the child goes home the same day.