What is the procedure like to insert ear tubes?

Simple: I do this in the clinic for adults with topical anesthesia (phenol). It takes no more than 5 minutes. In children, they need to go to sleep but is just as simple and very quick. It involves making an incision in the ear drum under a microscope and placing a small tube which comes out on it's own in 6-12 months.

Surgery: Usually light outpatient anesthesia. Short procedure to assess eardrum, make small incision and place tube.

Office procedure: 95% of adults who receive ear tubes in my practice choose to have this done in the office. Under a microscope the ear drum is anaesthetized with topical phenol, a microscopic incision placed, any fluid suctioned from the ear, and a tube placed in the incision. All this takes less than 5 minutes.