Barotrauma/Scuba Diving Trauma

Barotrauma is trauma caused by pressure changes, such as scuba diving, travel in an airplane, a bad infection or cold that causes fluid build-up in the middle ear. A perforated eardrum can occur with trauma, especially in cases of penetrating trauma.

Most patients will need surgical repair of an eardrum perforation, called a tympanoplasty. Fibrous tissue is taken from the patient’s ear and placed as a graft over the perforation.

Smaller perforations may heal spontaneously. Other options may be to place a "paper patch" or a small fat graft over the perforation depending on its size and location.