Tympanomastoidectomy in Iran
Patients who have problems in the middle ear might need to have tympanomastoidectomy surgery. However, because of the high cost or due to poor medical services in some countries, patients may have to travel to other countries to have tympanomastoidectomy. If you are one of them, we advise you to consider that you undergo tympanomastoidectomy in Iran with Dr. Saeedi, a board-certified ENT surgeon and a University associate professor in Tehran. Please keep reading to know more about the surgery and why to opt for it in Iran.
What is tympanomastoidectomy?
Tympanomastoidectomy is a treatment that consists of two surgeries: tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy. It is performed to heal some cases related to the middle ear such as chronic infections. It can also be performed to remove tumors from the mastoid bone or to remove any excess tissues trapped behind the eardrum.
How is tympanomastoidectomy performed?
Surgeons perform tympanomastoidectomy in a hospital setting and it is usually done under general anesthesia. The way tympanomastoidectomy is performed is different each time depending on the patient’s condition.
Tympanomastoidectomy’s steps are different according to the patient’s case. But in general, we can say that during tympanomastoidectomy, the surgeon will make a cut behind the ear, afterward, he/she will remove any growth in the mastoid, infected bone tissues, cholesteatoma, and the eardrum. The surgeon will reconstruct the eardrum and drain any excess fluid. After performing the tympanomastoidectomy surgery, the surgeon will put packing in the ear to fix the tissues in its place.
If the damage leads to the removal of a big portion of the bones, the surgeon might need to replace some parts with synthetic materials. This replacement may help to restore hearing.
Tympanomastoidectomy duration depends on the patient’s condition. It ranges from one hour to several hours. The duration will increase with greater bone damage.
Tympanomastoidectomy with ossicular reconstruction
Tympanomastoidectomy with ossicular chain reconstruction or as it is called also tympanomastoidectomy with ocr is a surgery that involves reconstructing the ossicular chain in addition to tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy. During this surgery, the doctor will make incisions in the ear canal and behind the ear. He/she will also use a graft to reconstruct the eardrum and the ossicles.
Tympanomastoidectomy with cartilage graft
When performing tympanomastoidectomy, the reconstruction of the eardrum can be done using a cartilage graft like (tragal cartilage). Since tragal cartilage is thin and flat, many surgeons prefer using it for repairing the eardrum.
Who is a good candidate for tympanomastoidectomy?
To be considered a good candidate for tympanomastoidectomy, you should be a patient who has chronic ear infections and cholesteatoma or Wegener’s disease and had tried all other non-surgical alternatives and found them ineffective. Of course, there might be some other factors that your surgeon may consider so you should always consult with your surgeon.
Why to undergo tympanomastoidectomy in Iran with Dr. Saeedi?
Iranian hospitals and doctors offer their best medical services at affordable prices. The prices in Iran are very cheap compared to other countries like the USA and the European Union. If you have tympanomastoidectomy surgery in Iran, you will save money even with the added cost of traveling and accommodation.
Iran has some of the best hospitals in the region and they are equipped with the most advanced equipment. Iranian ENT doctors and surgeons are quite experienced and well-trained.
Dr Masoomeh Saeedi is board certified surgeon in ENT, otolaryngology and she was ranked first in the country in the national fellowship entrance exam. During her 12 years of experience as a specialized surgeon, Dr. Saeedi has performed more that 5,000 complicated surgeries including many tympanomastoidectomy surgeries.
Dr. Saeedi has also passed many specialized coursed in countries like Germany, Poland, South Korea, France, Portugal, Malaysia and other countries. She is also an associate professor in ENT in Baqiyatallah University in Tehran.
Cost of tympanomastoidectomy in Iran with Dr. Saeedi
While the cost of tympanomastoidectomy surgery can be around $12,000 in the USA you can undergo a tympanomastoidectomy in Iran with Dr. Saeedi for less than a quarter of this price. The cost of tympanomastoidectomy in Iran with Dr. Saeedi along with the costs of traveling and the accommodation can be less than the cost of the surgery alone in some countries.
Tympanomastoidectomy post-op: What to expect?
Tympanomastoidectomy recovery most often involves taking a couple of weeks off work to rest. There should be a follow-up appointment after a week to remove the suture and check that the healing process is going well. Then you will be able to return to most of your daily routine. The doctor will remove the packing when the wounds start to heal.
There are some instructions that you need to follow during tympanomastoidectomy recovery time, including:
- Avoid blowing your nose for the following two weeks at least.
- Keep your mouth open if you need to sneeze.
- Keep water away from your ear until the doctor allows you to. Put silicon earplugs or Vaseline-coated cotton in your ears while showering.
- Avoid flying for the following six weeks to avoid the impact of air pressure change on the ear.
- Try not to lift any heavy objects
- Avoid all the sudden movements of the head.
Tympanomastoidectomy benefits and risks
Tympanomastoidectomy benefits
Tympanomastoidectomy helps to get rid of chronic ear infections when other non-surgical solutions fail. It can also help some patients to restore and improve hearing
Tympanomastoidectomy complications and side effects
With every surgery, there are some possible side effects. Tympanomastoidectomy’s side effects might include some of the following:
- Dry mouth: it is usual that some patients may have a dry mouth for a while after Tympanomastoidectomy. Other patients may also have a change in taste, but this will go away after a while.
- Tinnitus: some of the patients may start hearing some noises and sounds inside their ears. This is normal and it should go away after a few weeks.
- Vertigo: it is common to feel dizzy and lose balance for a few days after tympanomastoidectomy operation. In the following weeks after the surgery, patients may feel dizzy after sudden movements of the head.
Tympanomastoidectomy risks
- Facial paralysis: In some cases, patients may suffer from a temporary facial paralysis due to damage to the facial nerve. It is possible to suffer from permanent paralysis but this is very rare.
- Disease recurrence: While tympanomastoidectomy surgery is mainly performed to cure chronic diseases, it may fail causing the disease to return. This makes it necessary for a revision tympanomastoidectomy surgery in some cases.
- Hearing loss: some of the patients might have an inadequate improvement in hearing and, in rare cases; they might suffer from hearing loss.
Tympanomastoidectomy and facial nerve injury
Sometimes the facial nerve can be damaged due to the surgery. This can cause facial paralysis for a certain period and weakness on a side of the face. But you should not let that stop you from having tympanomastoidectomy, because the chances of suffering from nerve damage due to infection are much greater.
Tympanomastoidectomy vs. tympanoplasty
Tympanoplasty surgery is performed to repair the tympanic membrane and it is also a surgery involved in tympanomastoidectomy surgery. Tympanomastoidectomy surgery, on the other hand, involves other surgeries and it is performed to treat the middle ear’s chronic infections.
Mastoidectomy vs. tympanomastoidectomy
Mastoidectomy is surgery performed to remove the diseased portion of the mastoid bone due to an infection or cholesteatoma. Tympanomastoidectomy operation involves performing mastoidectomy in addition to tympanoplasty to repair the damage in the eardrum.
Frequently asked questions about tympanomastoidectomy surgery
what is tympanomastoidectomy?
Tympanomastoidectomy is a surgery performed to cure middle ear infections when other non-surgical alternatives fail.
Will tympanomastoidectomy hurt?
During the surgery, you will be under anesthesia so you will not feel any pain. After the procedure, there will be some pain so your doctor will prescribe you some pain killers.
How long does tympanomastoidectomy take?
The duration depends on the patient’s condition, but it usually takes between one hour and three hours.