Myringoplasty* is the medical term for the surgical procedure to repair damage – normally a hole or a tear – in the ear drum (‘myring’ is Latin for membrane, specifically the ‘tympanic membrane’, or ear drum), also known as a ‘perforated ear drum’ or ‘burst ear drum’.
A perforated ear drum can be caused by infection in the middle ear ‘bursting’ the ear drum, or by injury/trauma, for example being hit with some force directly on the ear.
Where a myringoplasty is performed and at the same time the middle ear is cleared of infection, the procedure is instead referred to as a ‘tympanoplasty’ (see Chronic Otitis Media). Ear drum perforations often heal without the need for surgery, although if this does not occur naturally a myringoplasty may be recommended by Dr Chang for one of two reasons:
