Medical Questions

Tympanoplasty

I underwent a tympanoplasty (repair of ear drum perforation) and mastoidectomy (removal of infection from the bone behind the ear) surgery 4 weeks ago. When can I start diving again, or should I stop diving now?

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Answer from DAN experts: 

Operative procedures in the area of the middle ear can lead to very different conditions regarding ventilation. A mastoidectomy is an extremely complex surgery. While after most interventions involving a tympanoplasty diving fitness can be quickly re-established in case of a robust eardrum, which needs to be determined by an ENT doctor, a mastoidectomy has a minimum healing phase of 8 to 12 weeks. After this, again, an ENT doctor has to decide whether diving can be resumed. The altered anatomy of the ear after complete healing absolutely necessitates the precise examination by a specialist who tests the endurance and equalization capacity in such cases.