Complications of Glue ear

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Early hearing loss can seriously affect a childâ€™s development and the effect may be long-lasting. Lack of ear drainage may also lead to more severe middle-ear infection. Pus may form in the middle ear and build up pressure on the drum. This may bulge outwards and eventually develop a hole (a perforation). This too can temporarily affect hearing, but most perforated eardrums will heal within a month once the infection has been treated. A tympanoplasty (operation to repair the eardrum) is sometimes performed, but it is rarely required in children under 4 years old.

Tympanosclerosis (slight thickening of the eardrum membrane) often occurs after grommets are inserted. There is also a slightly increased risk of the eardrums being perforated severely, which can result in pain, bleeding from the ears, or noise in the ears (tinnitus), or of the child developing an ear infection.