Are tubes in the ears sometimes needed to heal eardrum damage from diving?

Yes: Tubes are helpful in managing middle ear fluid that does not resolve on its own following barotrauma.

Sometimes: If diving caused bleeding into the middle ear, the fluid can remain trapped there and require tubes to drain. While tubes are in the ears, though, diving is generally not a good idea.

Most of the : Time ruptured eardrums from barotrauma can heal without surgical intervention. One should not dive prior to resolution. I am glad the other physicians were able to comment about the use of pe tubes with barotrauma as i did know of instances where they were used. However, I have known of cases in which a ruptured tympanic membrane did not heal on it's own ; tympanoplasty was required.

Used for prevention: When it comes to diving, pressure equalization tubes (PE tubes) are usually used to prevent tympanic membrane damage from the pressure changes of diving. If the damage has already occurred, we would recommend abstinence from diving (or flying) which wound cause further damage. In severe TM damage, a hole (perforation) may have occurred which would serve as a PE tube.