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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.

See indicative pricing
A radiographer guides a patient onto the bed of an advanced 3 Tesla MRI scanner in a London imaging suite

Indicative pricing

What a private myringoplasty costs in the UK.

Indicative ranges across UK private providers. Myringoplasty is also funded by the NHS via ENT - both routes are worth weighing.

In short

£4,000–£7,000, home the same day.

Procedure Indicative range
Myringoplasty under GA (adult day-case) £4,000–£7,000
Paediatric myringoplasty (overnight stay) £5,000–£8,000
Fat graft myringoplasty (small perforation, LA) £1,800–£3,200
Revision myringoplasty £5,500–£8,500
Audiogram + microscopy (pre-op) £220–£380
CT temporal bones (if indicated) £450–£750
Consultation only £250–£450

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, so it is worth weighing the two routes honestly.

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.

  • Not sure it is needed?

    A small dry stable perforation may need no surgery. A fat graft may be enough. This is worth discussing before you commit to a formal repair.

  • 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.

  • 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.

When it helps

When myringoplasty is the right step.

The situations that come up most, plus the one red flag that means an emergency ENT referral rather than a routine repair.

  • Persistent perforation post trauma

    A perforation from a slap, blast or ear-cleaning injury that has not healed on its own after three months.

  • Perforation after otitis media

    A hole left behind after repeated middle-ear infections that has stayed open despite dry-ear precautions.

  • Post-grommet perforation

    A small residual perforation after a grommet has come out and the eardrum has failed to close by itself.

  • Perforation after mastoiditis

    A larger defect associated with previous mastoid disease - often needs assessment of the mastoid at the same time.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • Tragal perichondrium or cartilage graft

    Perichondrium or a thin cartilage disc from the tragus - often chosen for revision cases or larger anterior perforations.

  • Underlay technique

    The graft is placed under the eardrum remnant - the most common approach, with a low re-perforation rate.

  • Overlay technique

    The graft is placed on top of the eardrum remnant - occasionally chosen for very anterior or subtotal perforations.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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 UK consultant otologist reviewing a patient’s operation notes

A quiet reminder

Surgical language is precise and can read coldly - ask for anything unclear to be put in plain English.

If you would like the note talked through before your review, just ask your surgeon.

  1. 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.

  2. 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.

  3. 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.

  4. 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

BupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealixBupaAXA HealthVitalityAvivaWPACignaHealix

Cover for myringoplasty varies by insurer and by indication - usually funded when medically indicated.

Frequently asked

Everything patients commonly ask about myringoplasty.

Quick answers on graft take, hearing gain, water rules, cost and time off work.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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.

  • 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 repair is recommended.

  • 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.

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