• Excision of Ear Lesions

  Excision is the surgical removal of a lesion using a scalpel. In most cases, this will be done while you’re under local anesthesia–you’ll be awake, but the area around your ear lesion will be numb so you don’t feel anything. 

  Excisions of ear lesions are typically quick and simple, so you should be able to go home on the same day as your procedure.

• Inner Ear Surgery

  The type of inner ear surgery you need will depend on the tumors, bones, or nerves that are affecting your hearing. The types of inner ear surgery our expert providers offer include:

  • Acoustic neuroma surgery
  • Cochlear implant ear surgery
  • Congenital atresia ear reconstruction
  • Eardrum repair
  • Stapedectomy/stapedotomy
• Middle Ear Surgery

  The four types of middle ear surgery include:

  • Mastoidectomy
  • Myringoplasty
  • Ossiculoplasty
  • Tympanoplasty

  During your middle ear surgery, your doctor may remove dead or infected tissue, place a prosthetic device to replace damaged bone, or place a graft over your eardrum to repair it.

  Following your middle ear surgery, please avoid swimming, diving, traveling by air, lifting heavy objects, blowing your nose, sneezing, and sudden head movements. Your ENT surgeon will give you a timeline of when you can expect to do these things again.

• Mastoidectomy

  Your mastoid is a sponge-like, honeycomb-shaped bone that sits just behind your ear in your skull. A mastoidectomy is a procedure that surgically removes diseased cells from the spaces (filled with air) in your mastoid bone. Commonly used to treat ear infections or cholesteatoma, a mastoidectomy is also used when cochlear implants are being placed.

• Myringotomy

  An ENT specialist will perform a myringotomy to drain fluid from your middle ear. Recovery typically takes about four weeks. You may need a myringotomy if you experience: 

  • Balance problems
  • Ear bleeding
  • Ear barotrauma (pain in the ears due to air pressure changes)
  • Frequent ear infections
  • Hearing loss or muffled hearing
  • Speech delays in children
• Tympanoplasty

  A perilymph fistula (PLF) is a tear in the membranes that separate your middle ear from the perilymphatic space in your inner ear, which can allow fluid to leak into your middle ear. It may also cause pressure changes in your middle ear, which in turn affects the inner ear.

  Head trauma is typically the cause of a PLF, but a perforated eardrum, ear trauma, ear block, or rapid increase in intracranial pressure can also be the cause.

  A tympanoplasty is a surgery that repairs your perilymph fistula by reconstructing your eardrum with cartilage taken from your body.

Frequently Asked Questions

• I have ringing in my ears - can anything be done?

  Ringing in your ears is called tinnitus, medically. Tinnitus may be caused by a problem in your inner ear, a stray blood vessel, or a tumor.

  To diagnose, you will have both an audiogram and an ear exam, with additional tests ordered as necessary. After a careful, thorough diagnosis, your provider will find the treatment that’s right for you. Not all types of tinnitus respond to treatment, but many can be improved with cognitive therapy, medical treatment, and/or sound therapy.

• I have an ear infection that won’t go away - can you help?

  An ear with chronic draining issues is a problem that can have several different causes–sometimes there is a cholesteatoma, and other times there are resistant bacteria.

  A lingering ear infection requires careful diagnosis, something that our audiologists are experienced and trained to do. After examining your ear, they may order cultures or imaging studies to find the cause of your infection. After finding the correct cause, we will create a treatment plan for lasting relief.

• How do you get rid of crystals in the ear?

  Ear crystals are calcium particles that cause vertigo–more specifically, benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. This results in spinning vertigo when you’re reaching above your head or rolling in bed. We can treat this issue in-office!

• What are some clues that I may have a hearing problem?

  Many hearing problems develop slowly. Common clues that you may have a hearing problem include:

  • Asking people to repeat themselves
  • Difficulty with conversation
  • Trouble hearing in loud environments (like restaurants)
  • Turning the tv up too loud for other watchers
• Why do the elderly need cochlear implants?

  Hearing loss in the elderly leads to cognitive and memory impairment, dementia, and social isolation. When hearing aids no longer work, cochlear implants are an effective option. 

  The implantation typically takes less than 3 hours, and patients can go home the same day.