Concierge ENT · United Kingdom
Private myringoplasty, by a consultant otologist.
Definitive repair of a perforated eardrum using your own tissue - temporalis fascia, tragal perichondrium or cartilage - under the microscope, with strict water precautions afterwards and a proper hearing test to confirm the result.
Why patients choose us
- 01
A consultant otologist, in theatre
Not a general ENT list and not a trainee case. A named otologist who does eardrum work regularly, in a proper theatre with a microscope.
- 02
Alternatives explained honestly
A small dry perforation may not need surgery at all. A fat graft or paper patch may be enough. We say so before you commit to a formal repair.
- 03
Independent, and free
We are paid by no clinic, so the recommendation is impartial and costs you nothing.
Indicative pricing
What a private myringoplasty costs in the UK.
Indicative ranges across our partner clinics. Myringoplasty is also funded by the NHS via ENT - we help you weigh both. Send the details and we quote firm figures.
In short
An adult day-case myringoplasty under GA in our network: £4,000–£7,000, home the same day.
| Procedure | Indicative range | Typical duration | Discharge |
|---|---|---|---|
| Myringoplasty under GA (adult day-case) | £4,000–£7,000 | 45–90 min | Same day home |
| Paediatric myringoplasty (overnight stay) | £5,000–£8,000 | 45–90 min | Overnight |
| Fat graft myringoplasty (small perforation, LA) | £1,800–£3,200 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
| Revision myringoplasty | £5,500–£8,500 | 60–120 min | Same day home |
| Audiogram + microscopy (pre-op) | £220–£380 | 45 min | Same visit |
| CT temporal bones (if indicated) | £450–£750 | 15 min | 1–2 working days |
| Consultation only | £250–£450 | 30–45 min | Same visit |
Prices vary by clinic, by which otologist does the case, by graft choice, and by whether an audiogram or CT is bundled. Myringoplasty is available on the NHS via ENT for medically indicated cases - we help you decide honestly between the two routes.
The problem
The right otologist, the right graft, the right timing.
A myringoplasty is not a big operation, but it is a specialist one - graft take depends on the surgeon doing it every week, the middle ear being dry, and the water rules being followed. We line those three things up.
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Not sure it is needed?
A small dry stable perforation may need no surgery. A fat graft may be enough. We say so before you commit to a formal repair.
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Not sure it will take?
A consultant otologist who does middle-ear work weekly gives you the best chance of an 85–95 per cent graft take at first attempt.
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Not sure about hearing?
A pre-op audiogram tells you honestly whether myringoplasty alone will help your hearing or whether the ossicles also need attention.
The journey
From enquiry to hearing test - what happens, in order.
One clinician from first message to your post-op audiogram - including the recovery, the water rules and the review.
Phase 1 · Before your procedure
Concierge, off-stage for you
Phase 2 · On the day
A few hours at the clinic
Phase 3 · After
Concierge, back on
- 01
Before
You tell us what is going on
A short, confidential form. Perforation cause, how long it has been there, hearing loss, discharge, water problems.
- 02
Before
We come back with a recommendation
Within one working day: whether an audiogram and CT are needed, whether a fat graft would do, or whether a formal myringoplasty is right.
- 03
Before
We arrange the assessment
Otoscopy with microscopy, an audiogram, and a CT of the temporal bones if mastoid disease is suspected. Then a firm surgical plan.
- 04
On the day
Arrival at the clinic
Arrival, consent and a chat with the otologist and anaesthetist. Adult day-case under GA; paediatric patients stay overnight.
- 05
On the day
The procedure itself
45 to 90 minutes under the microscope. Endaural or post-auricular approach, temporalis fascia or tragal perichondrium graft, careful packing.
- 06
On the day
Home the same day
A short recovery with the packing in place, written aftercare, and home a few hours later. Paediatric patients go home the next morning.
- 07
After
Recovery and review
Back to office work in one to two weeks. Packing settles over two to four weeks with antibiotic drops. Audiogram and microscopy at six to twelve weeks.
Typical end-to-end: 3–4 weeks from enquiry to procedure. Post-op audiogram: 6–12 weeks.
When it helps
When myringoplasty is the right step.
The situations we see most, plus the one red flag that means an emergency ENT referral rather than a routine repair.
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Persistent perforation post trauma
A perforation from a slap, blast or ear-cleaning injury that has not healed on its own after three months.
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Perforation after otitis media
A hole left behind after repeated middle-ear infections that has stayed open despite dry-ear precautions.
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Post-grommet perforation
A small residual perforation after a grommet has come out and the eardrum has failed to close by itself.
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Perforation after mastoiditis
A larger defect associated with previous mastoid disease - often needs assessment of the mastoid at the same time.
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Recurrent ear discharge
A perforation that keeps discharging every time water gets in, or every time you catch a cold - quality of life is the real issue.
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Hearing loss from a large hole
A conductive hearing loss, usually 15 to 30 dB, that is bothering you at work, in meetings or with a hearing aid.
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Wanting to swim and dive safely
A perforation that stops you swimming, diving, surfing or using a hearing aid without a plug - a common quality-of-life reason to repair.
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Red flag: cholesteatoma suspected
Foul discharge, deep pain, dizziness or facial weakness with a perforation may mean cholesteatoma - same-day ENT, not a routine booking.
Procedure options
Formal repair is not the only option.
What each option on the table actually involves - and which fits which perforation.
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Myringoplasty (Type I tympanoplasty)
A formal repair of the eardrum with an autologous graft - the standard operation for a persistent perforation with a working ossicular chain.
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Temporalis fascia graft
A thin sheet of fascia harvested from above the ear - the workhorse graft for most myringoplasties, with a very good take rate.
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Tragal perichondrium or cartilage graft
Perichondrium or a thin cartilage disc from the tragus - often chosen for revision cases or larger anterior perforations.
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Underlay technique
The graft is placed under the eardrum remnant - the most common approach, with a low re-perforation rate.
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Overlay technique
The graft is placed on top of the eardrum remnant - occasionally chosen for very anterior or subtotal perforations.
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Fat graft (office/LA option)
A small piece of earlobe fat plugged into a tiny central perforation under local anaesthetic - quick, and often enough for a small hole.
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Paper-patch myringoplasty
A temporary paper patch to see if a small perforation will heal - sometimes used as a test before committing to full surgery.
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Tympanoplasty with ossicular reconstruction
If hearing loss is bigger than the perforation alone would explain, the ossicular chain is repaired at the same time - a bigger operation.
Our vetted UK network
A small panel of otologists, we picked them.
Consultant otologists across London and the major UK cities. Not listed publicly - introductions are made privately, once we understand your case.
Selection criteria
How we choose every otologist in our network.
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Consultant otologists who do middle-ear surgery weekly, not general ENT trainees
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Operating microscope, endoscopic ear surgery and full graft options available
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Audiology and CT temporal bone assessment arranged before the operation
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Clear written water-precaution and follow-up plan for the full three months
Safety and recovery
What to expect afterwards - honestly.
Myringoplasty is a common, safe day-case procedure. What matters most is water discipline, patience with the packing, and knowing which symptoms are not normal.
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General anaesthetic day-case for most adults
A full GA for 45 to 90 minutes, home the same day once the packing is settled. Paediatric patients usually stay one night.
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Packing stays for two to four weeks
Gelfoam, silastic or a gentamicin-soaked dressing supports the graft. Antibiotic drops are used until the packing is removed at your follow-up.
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Strict water precautions for six to eight weeks
No water in the ear for six to eight weeks - a waterproof plug and cap in the shower. No swimming, diving or watersports for three months.
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No flying for four to six weeks
Cabin pressure changes stress the healing graft. Long-haul travel is best delayed until your six-to-twelve-week review confirms the graft has taken.
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Back to office work in one to two weeks
Most people are back at a desk within a fortnight. Heavy lifting, gym and contact sport wait until your review.
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Graft take is 85 to 95 per cent
A well-selected primary myringoplasty closes the perforation in 85 to 95 per cent of cases. Hearing typically improves by 10 to 15 dB.
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Rare but real risks
Sensorineural hearing loss from inner-ear injury is very uncommon but permanent. Tinnitus, transient dizziness and taste change on that side of the tongue can also happen.
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Red flags after surgery
Fever, severe pain, facial weakness, sudden hearing drop, spinning vertigo or heavy bleeding are not normal - call the clinic or A&E the same day.
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Revision surgery is sometimes needed
Around 5 to 15 per cent of grafts fail or heal incompletely. If that happens, a revision can be planned once the ear has settled.
Reading your operation note
Your operation note in four parts. Read the last one first.
Whichever graft and approach were used, the note the otologist sends you keeps to the same shape.
A quiet reminder
Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - we translate it for you.
If you would like us to talk you through the note before your review, just ask.
- 01 Header
Indication and side operated on
Which ear, why the operation was done - chronic perforation, hearing loss, recurrent discharge - and the size and location of the hole.
- 02 Technique
Approach, graft and technique
Endaural or post-auricular approach, the graft used (temporalis fascia, tragal perichondrium or cartilage), and whether it was placed underlay or overlay.
- 03 Findings
Ossicles, mastoid and packing
The state of the ossicular chain, any mucosal disease, whether the mastoid needed inspection, and what packing was left in the canal.
- 04 Impression
Recovery, water rules, review
Read this first: how long the packing stays, exact water and flying rules, when the audiogram is done, and whether revision is likely.
Recognised by major UK insurers
Cover for myringoplasty varies by insurer and by indication - usually funded when medically indicated. We confirm cover before booking.
Frequently asked
Everything we get asked about myringoplasty.
Quick answers on graft take, hearing gain, water rules, cost and time off work.
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What is a myringoplasty?
A myringoplasty is a surgical repair of the tympanic membrane - the eardrum - using a small graft of your own tissue, usually temporalis fascia from above the ear or perichondrium from the tragus. It is also called a Type I tympanoplasty when the ossicular chain is left alone.
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How is a myringoplasty different from a tympanoplasty or mastoidectomy?
A myringoplasty repairs only the eardrum. A tympanoplasty is broader and can include reconstructing the ossicular chain if hearing loss is greater than the perforation alone explains. A mastoidectomy removes disease from the mastoid bone behind the ear and is a different operation, sometimes done at the same sitting.
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Does a myringoplasty hurt?
The operation itself is done under general anaesthetic so you feel nothing. Afterwards the ear feels blocked and tender for a week or two, with simple painkillers. Real pain is uncommon - sudden severe pain should be reported.
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How much does a private myringoplasty cost in the UK?
Roughly £4,000 to £7,000 for an adult day-case under GA in London and the South East, and £5,000 to £8,000 for a paediatric case with an overnight stay. A small office fat-graft repair is £1,800 to £3,200. We confirm a firm figure within one working day.
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How long is the recovery from a myringoplasty?
Back to office work in one to two weeks. Packing stays in for two to four weeks with antibiotic drops. No swimming or diving for three months. No flying for four to six weeks. A hearing test at six to twelve weeks confirms the result.
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What are the alternatives to a myringoplasty?
A small dry stable perforation may need nothing at all. A fat graft under local anaesthetic can close a small central hole. A paper patch tests whether a hole will heal. A full tympanoplasty with ossicular reconstruction is needed if hearing loss is bigger than the perforation. A BAHA or cochlear implant is considered if hearing is unlikely to be improved by repair.
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What are the risks of a myringoplasty?
Graft failure or re-perforation in 5 to 15 per cent. Very rarely, sensorineural hearing loss from inner-ear injury. Tinnitus, transient dizziness and taste change on that side of the tongue from the chorda tympani nerve. Wound infection or a small haematoma behind the ear. A keloid at the incision. Cholesteatoma can develop if a perforation is left untreated, which is one reason we repair.
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When should I see a GP or ENT urgently?
A perforation with foul-smelling discharge, deep ear pain, facial weakness, sudden hearing loss or spinning dizziness needs same-day ENT - these can point to cholesteatoma or inner-ear involvement, not a routine repair.
Related treatments
Looking for something else?
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Mastoidectomy
Removal of disease from the mastoid bone behind the ear.
Learn more -
Myringotomy
A small drainage incision in the eardrum, often with a grommet.
Learn more -
Meatoplasty of ear canal
Widening of a narrow or scarred ear canal.
Learn more -
All tests & procedures
Every test and procedure we arrange.
Learn more