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URL of this page: //medlineplus.gov/ency/presentations/100045.htm

Ear tube insertion - series—Indication

Indications

Overview

Ear tube insertion is recommended for:

  • Fluid in the middle ear (present for more than 12 weeks)
  • Recurrent ear infections despite efforts of prevention (more than three infections in six months)
  • Ear infections that don't improve after two to three rounds of using the appropriate antibiotics

Symptoms include:

  • Persistent ear pain
  • Ear drainage
  • Hearing loss (over a three-month period)

Review Date 2/26/2024

Updated by: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.

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