Permanent Ear Tubes?

[Staci]

Well, we took Aidan to see a new ENT today...his third ENT since he was born. She wants to put tubes in his ears again, which I knew would happen. But she said she wanted to place a permanent ear tubes (can't remember what she called them, sorry!) that would stay in there until she took them out. She said that the only risk to this is that there might be a hole in the ear drum after she took them out, then he would need another surgery. Augh! This freaks me out!! Anybody know what I'm talking about or does anyone's kids have this? Just curious...I'm totally scared of a "permenent" ear tube placement...I know it would be good for Aidan, not having surgery so often, etc, but the hole in the ear drum thing makes me nervous!

Staci

[shellk]

Wow ! Staci..I have no clue about permenant ear tubes I have never heard of them..Just wishing you good luck with this


Michele

[Debi]

Gabe has had "T" tubes; or permanent tubes for about two years. They are called that because of the shape and do not fall out . For him they have been a real blessing... he has not had to go under for the replacement tubes all this time and if he had the other kind in I'm quite sure there would have been at least one or two visits to surgery.
My understanding is: the ENT will want the child to be a certain age. The ear canals are still growing too fast for a very young child.
If drainage is a chronic problem I would most definitely look at the T tubes.

[Staci]

Michele, thanks for the good luck wishes!

Debi, thank you so much! I feel much better now...the T tubes, yes! That's what they're called LOL So Gabe never had any trouble after having them taken out? Why did he have them taken out after 2 years? Just curious why they weren't left in longer. I appreciate your input on them!

Staci

[Debi]

Gabe had new "T" tubes put in because after a couple of years with drainage on & off the ENT felt it would be best to put in a whole new set.. just in case the set he had in were getting bathed in bacteria from the drainage. So.. he still has "T" tubes but a whole new set.
Also Gabe has a little reaction to the material used in the tubes (like a very slight allergy) so that contributes to his draining.
But overall I am glad that Gabe is old enough to get these tubes now!!! I presume SOMEDAY he won't need tubes at all! Good luck to Aidan!!

[ashliesmomheidi]

AShlie's ENT does the same thing as Gabe's.
Ashlie has always had T Tubes and we have never had problems with them, Every 2 yrs her ENT goes in and replaces them as she said its better to do it every 2 than leave them in longer than that.

[Staci]

Thank you, Debi and Heidi! I feel a lot better about Aidan getting T tubes now! I will have to ask how often she replaces them...from the way it sounded, they were "permanent" and she didn't say anything about replacing. Hmmm...that "bathed in bacteria" comment freaked me out! LOL Yuck! OK, thank you both so much! His surgery is a week from today...dreading it, though. I hate to put Aidan through any more "stuff". But...gotta be done!

Staci

[DereksMom]

How many sets of regular tubes did your kids have put in before they got the T tubes and at what age did they get them??

Derek has had 3 sets of tubes and currently has one out and one in. The hearing in his R ear is within normal range but his left ear (the one without the tube) has profound hearing loss. He will need another set of tubes put it and I am wondering if he would be a candiate for a permanent set as it seem as soon as his tubes fall out he gets fluid build up and subsequently hearing loss.

Hugs

Allison

[Cathy]

HI Katie is on her third set of tubes... these are T-tubes and are suppose to last a long time... Keep your fingers crossed, she got her first set of regular tubes at 16 months..her second set at 2 and got and these at 3 and a half....

The first two didn't last 10 months each. Her regular doc told me (one month after the t-tubes were put in) that one was coming out... but

We saw her ENT for her 6 month follow-up and this doc said they were just fine.... and you think the docs know everything?

Good luck!

Hugs,

Cathy

[meghans_mom]

we had t-tubes here too...the doc said if they stayed in "too long" (over 2 yrs?) there was a danger for a permanent hole in the drum, but he did not mention surgery to close the hole.
Her tubes were in from 9/01 til 7/04...she had a hole in one ear (where the tube remained and was removed in the office...no surgical removal) - no hole in second ear (where tube fell OUT)
but the hold did heal on it's own with-in a month.

good luck w/ the surgery..we go in a few weeks for a check up and i'm pretty sure the doc is going to recommend set #2!

hugs, laurie

[DereksMom]

Thanks!! Derek sees the ENT on the 19th and Im pretty sure he is going to want to put another tube in the ear without one due to hearing loss and fluid build up. Our waitlist is about 6 months so by the time he gets to the OR Im sure the other one will be out...lol

He had his first set of tubes at 18 months, his second set at 4 and his third set when he was 5.5. How the first set he had lasted the longest but had been out for quite awhile before he had them replaced due to waitlists (gotta love Canada for that)

Hugs

Allison

[Staci]

Thanks guys, for your help! Allison, Aidan had 2 sets prior to these t-tubes that he got yesterday...he is 4 years old. He has chronic fluid in the ear, poor guy.

The doc said that she would change the t-tubes out whenever they needed it. She said they sometimes get "bathed in bacteria" and she would be able to tell?? She told me bad news yesterday...apparently, Aidan already has a hole in his ear...down to the 3rd layer of membrane...the tube might fall out cuz it's just sitting there, but there is a good chance it will heal on it's own...if not, he might have to have a skin graft type surgery to fix it later. She'll be able to tell if it's going to close up in the next few weeks. I hope and pray it does!! Yikes! I hate to see Aidan go through yet ANOTHER procedure! Anyway...thanks for all of your help!

Staci

[samanthajosmom_12]

well we might have to have samantha jo get tubes in her ears in a month or 2. she has fluid in her ear and a bad ear infection again in the other ear. i might ask about the t -tubes. it would be good if they put them in. sue

[DereksMom]

Well Dereks ears fill up so quickly once the tubes fall out that the ENT wants to give him hearing aides I really dont feel that this is an option for him as for 1) he would not wear them and 2) they pic up so much background noise

We are going to go with the permanent (t-tubes) until he is older. The ENT said that they could leave a hole in his ear drum but in his case that could not be such a bad thing as as soon as the hole is gone the fluid builds up so it would act as a drain. He also suggested an FM system for the classroom to magnify the sound of the teacher for him. Apparently they have used this in our district before so it should not be too much of a struggle to have it implemented.

Hugs

Allison

[Staci]

Oh, Allison...I know what you mean about the hearing aides! I KNOW this would be nearly impossible for Aidan, too, if he ever had to have them...it's impossible to keep anything like that on the kid (his glasses, impossible...hats, impossible...hearing aides? out of the question!). I have been hearing about the FM system around this board...apparently, it is used with some of the kiddos and I never have heard of it! Learn something new every day Does Derek have T-tubes right now, or is he getting them soon? I hope they work for the little guy...I hope they work for Aidan, too!

Staci