Eustaschian tube surgery for ear drainage

[Sam Wallis]

Great to hear from you again Sam!  I learned a lot from this thread about things I know too little about.  The fact Inspire precludes future CAT scans and other complications are noteworthy for anyone considering it.  Sorry to hear the ear drainage continues to be a problem.  You got the best machine, and hopefully will get good results and more comfort.

Keep in touch and post some data when you get going.

Two nights and loving my new AutoPAP.  I am using the Dreamwear mask which I like much better than the masks with the "elephant trunk."   Getting the Dreamwear properly adjusted is a bit tricky but I have have found if I have any air noise, sound of my own breathing, feelings of having even a minor air leak,  I just need to tweek the adjustment a bit.  When I have it right, I am not even aware of the fact that air is blowing up my nose.  Very comfortable for me.

I will keep you posted.

[johnmiano]

When you close your Eustaschian tubes you should be prepared to  get fitted for hearing aids because your hearing will take a nose dive.  I have  Eustaschian tubes because my ears will not drain and the Cpap has nothing to do with my particular problem.  After years of the painful implantation of tubes as well as being put to sleep and needle deading of the ear, I found an ear-only  specialist that uses a laser to cut the hole for the tube.  With laser surgery and a topical pain killer there was no pain when inserting the tubes.   Most ENT's will cut you and let you suffer the pain because they don't have the laser equipment and don't want you wait 30 minutes for the topical anesthetic to work. Be sure and know the cost of this procedure and whether your insurance will pay. 

Hope this helps.

[Apnea Infant]

Hey Sam

Read your post and am glad the Autoset is working well for you.

Do download the free sleepyhead software as it allows greater knowledge and control over your therapy.

The best..........

[Sam Wallis]

When you close your Eustaschian tubes you should be prepared to  get fitted for hearing aids because your hearing will take a nose dive.  I have  Eustaschian tubes because my ears will not drain and the Cpap has nothing to do with my particular problem.  After years of the painful implantation of tubes as well as being put to sleep and needle deading of the ear, I found an ear-only  specialist that uses a laser to cut the hole for the tube.  With laser surgery and a topical pain killer there was no pain when inserting the tubes.   Most ENT's will cut you and let you suffer the pain because they don't have the laser equipment and don't want you wait 30 minutes for the topical anesthetic to work. Be sure and know the cost of this procedure and whether your insurance will pay. 

Hope this helps.

Hi, johnmiano

I'm sorry, I'm a bit confused.  I think you are thinking of tympanostomy tubes (the ones the doctor places in your eardrum to allow ventilation and pressure equalization?)  I have had those in both ears for many years.  The tube the doctor permanently closed for me is the eustachian tube that runs from your middle ear into your throat.  The problem I was having with my CPAP was that it was blowing air up my eustachian tube, like blowing through a straw, and causing a great deal of stuff to be forced out of my middle ear through the tympanostomy tube.  When the surgeon closed my eustachian tube he placed a super sized tube through the eardrum so it can't plug up.  That would be really bad if it did. 

The problem now is that my ear is still draining, not as much as when the CPAP could blow air into my middle ear of course.  The doctors are making an effort to find out why my middle ear is producing so much fluid. According to them it shouldn't be doing that.  They are thinking it may be a chronic infection going on in the mastoid bone behind the ear and if so I may need another surgery to get that infection cleaned out and cleared up.  I certainly am hoping that is not required.

I guess I was lucky when I had tympanostomy tubes inserted because it was always quick and there was not much pain at all.  The only time there was a problem was one time when the shot  deadened the inner ear.  I got a case of vertigo like you wouldn't believe.  Fortunately the effects of the shot wore off pretty quickly, because, boy, was I dizzy!

As to my hearing, I was unable to hear in the ear the surgeon operated on anyhow.  It was already way too deaf to get help from a hearing aid.  I do have a hearing aid (and a  tympanostomy tube) in the other ear already.

Thanks for your input and I wish you luck,

Sam