You have a condition known as chronic otitis media. This is a chronic middle ear infection with hearing loss. This infection has damaged the structures that carry sound into your ear.

The diagram shows the parts of the ear that may have been damaged. All of these structures are necessary for good hearing, and damage to any one of them will cause hearing loss.

At operation, a piece of vein, fascia or perichondrium will be used to repair the eardrum. The hearing bones will be used when possible, or replaced with a plastic prosthesis if not. If infection is present in the mastoid bone, this infection will be removed through the same or a separate incision behind your ear.

The operation is done in the Shea Clinic Outpatient Surgery Center, and you may return to the Residence Inn next to the Shea Clinic, to your own motel, or to your home as soon as you recover from the operation. Full activity can be resumed in a few days following the operation. There is usually some pain and bleeding after the operation.

Hearing improvement continues for many months after the operation as healing takes place. Sometimes more than one operation is required to obtain good hearing, and/or to be sure no infection or cholesteatoma has recurred.