Recently a patient sought assistance from The Ear Clinic Cornwall as he was aware that he couldn’t hear as well as he should be able to, even with his hearing aids. The patient had stopped using his hearing aids for the last 12-18 months, partly due to being in lockdown, but mostly due to the limited impact they were having.
After a preliminary examination there were no obvious issues with his ears. There were no physical symptoms, no fullness or pressure noted and no infections. Using the Tympa system, Leanne was able to get a clearer look of the inner ear, and saw a partial blockage was visible. It turned out to be a hearing aid dome that was lodged in the patient’s ear which had been obstructing his ear canal and limiting his hearing. This also explained why the patient’s hearing aids were having minimal impact.
As the hearing aid dome was so firmly lodged inside the ear, this would usually result in a trip to A&E. However, thanks to the high-definition visibility provided by the Tympa, Leanne used a combination of forceps and microsuction to gently remove the dome from the patient’s ear. It turned out to be a large double dome!
I genuinely think I would not have had the confidence to carry out this procedure without Tympa. Having such clear photographs and view of the ear makes the process so much safer and easier.
Leanne, The Ear Clinic Cornwall
The patient was very happy with the results and noticed an instant relief and difference in his hearing. Despite not noticing the hearing aid dome when it was present, he certainly noticed the difference once it was removed.
To be on the safe side a record of the procedure was sent to the GP using the Tympa PDF creator, which included photographs of before and after the treatment. This is to ensure other healthcare professionals are aware of the patient having undergone this procedure.
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