Grommets | AASHI HOSPITAL Specialist ENT and Eye Care Surgeon
- Grommets are tiny plastic tubes put into the eardrums to relieve ‘glue ear’, fluid build-up that occurs when the eustachian tube becomes blocked. If glue ear does not clear up within a couple of weeks, it can cause speech, learning and behavioural difficulties in young children, and hearing problems in older children and adults.
- The grommet is inserted by making a small hole in the eardrum and gently pushing the grommet into place. A microscope is used to guide the placement accurately.
- The operation takes only a few minutes and can be carried out as a day-case procedure under local (for adults) or general anaesthetic (for children).
- Grommets stay in the eardrum for about 9 months and then drop out on their own. Most people don’t notice when they come out.
- You can swim with grommets in, but diving is not recommended. You should use ear plugs when showering or bathing to keep soapy water out. Air travel is not a problem with grommets, Eardrum repair operation, Treatment for ent in Ahmedabad
- The main complication of grommets is infection. This can cause discharge from the ear, but in most cases can be treated by a short course of antibiotic ear drops.