Patient Advice Sheet on Grommet Insertion (Part 1 of 2)

What is in my ear?

At the end of your ear canal is your eardrum. It is a piece of skin. It separates the middle ear from the ear canal. The eardrum collects the sound.

Behind the drum is a space which is full of air. This is the middle ear cavity. The sound passes across this space through a chain of bones. It enters the inner ear. This is the organ of hearing itself. The middle ear cavity opens into the Eustachian tube. This passes into the back of your nose. It is usually closed. It opens every few times you swallow. Air passes up into the middle ear. The pressure of the air in the middle ear is then the same as outside.

What are grommets?

Grommets are small plastic tubes. We can show you one. They fit in the eardrum. There are short and long term grommets. Short-term grommets come out in six to eighteen months. Longterm grommets may stay several years. We use them in adults only. We sometimes trim a longterm grommet for use in children.

Will I be asleep for the operation?

We can use local anaesthetic (or LA) in adults. We “freeze” the eardrum with some cream. We use general anaesthetic (asleep) for children. Some adults prefer a general anaesthetic (or GA). The doctor who makes you go to sleep is called an anaesthetist. He or she will tell you about your anaesthetic.

Source: P H Jones, ENT Consultant, Department of Otolaryngology Head & Neck Surgery – South Manchester University Hospitals NHS Trust