Myringotomy/Tympanoplasty - Effects on HF hearing?

[Taterworks]

Hi, everyone.

For the last five months, I've been suffering from a chronic middle-ear infection in one ear that has produced a great deal of inflammation (impairing my upper-range hearing and producing a lesser, general broadband attenuation, and some continuous pus drainage down my eustachian tube. The infection has been unresponsive to antibiotics and decongestants, suggesting that something else is needed. However, the only remaining recourse I have is the surgical procedure called "Tympanoplasty", or sometimes "Myringotomy" -- under anesthesia, a small incision is made in the eardrum, and a tube of about 1mm diameter is inserted to allow air to enter and fluid to drain. The tube usually falls out after two weeks or more (dependent on the type of tube inserted), and

However, I'm concerned about the effect that this procedure may have on my high-frequency hearing. The eardrum has three layers -- an outer and inner layer of skin, as well as a fibrous middle layer that provides tensile strength to the eardrum. It seems to me that this middle layer would have the effect of decreasing the eardrum's compliance, as well as coupling the entire eardrum to the ossicular chain ("three ear bones").

Has anyone here had tympanoplasty performed? Can I kiss my high-end audio hobby goodbye if I go this route to kick this infection for good?

[SY]

FWIW, my son had this done and his hearing actually improved. I don't know if this is the case for adults; what does your otolaryngologist say?

[KBK]

I had my tonsils removed when I was a kid.

This led to ear infections.

I've had my right ear done that way, when I was a kid. My hearing is fine. I dunno what it would have been without such work...

I'm also known for having some damn fine hearing.

It's not all frequency response, yah know. Some older guys who can't hear beyond 6-7 khz, even lower, can tell you things about sound systems that'll take you a year to figure out. This, they'll do in a few seconds.