Tympanostomy tube (ear tube)
A small cylindrical tube, made of plastic or titanium, with a flange at each end, designed to be inserted through an incision in the tympanic membrane.
How it is used
Used after myringotomy to keep the middle ear ventilated in recurrent serous otitis media, preventing fluid buildup behind the eardrum.
Clinical tip
Most extrude spontaneously within 6-18 months as the eardrum regenerates, without requiring surgical removal.
Sources
This entry is part of the Instriq catalog, researched and written per specialty from real web research -- never generated or invented without verification -- and reviewed skeptically and independently before publication. How this catalog is written.
History
Added to the catalog on 2026-10-05.
Dates derived from the project's public version-control history on GitHub, not a live collaborative edit log.