Having grommets fitted is a minor operation that is an effective treatment for glue ear and for improving your hearing.
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What is it for?
For the treatment of glue ear
Grommets for glue ear consultation at The London Clinic
At The London Clinic, we offer surgery to fit grommets. The procedure is performed by one of our surgeons who specialise in the treatment of conditions affecting your ear, nose or throat.
In most cases, having grommets fitted is a minor operation that takes between 15 and 30 minutes.
This means you will have them fitted and be able to leave the hospital on the same day.
The procedure is usually done under general anaesthetic, so you won’t be conscious during the operation.
Typically, you won’t be allowed to eat or drink for a few hours before the operation.
During the operation, your surgeon will make a small incision into your eardrum before inserting a small tube to draw out the fluid that has collected.
Once this is done, they will fit a grommet into one or both ears, if both are affected.
After this has been done, your surgeon may apply steroid eardrops into the ear to prevent swelling and infection.
FAQs
You should stay at home for a day or two after the operation so that you can avoid coming into contact with germs that may cause coughs or colds.
Your doctor will usually advise you to avoid immersing your head in water for at least two weeks after the procedure.
After that period, you’ll usually be recommended to wear earplugs if you have a bath or go swimming.
Once your grommets have been fitted, they will usually fall out of your ear after around 6 to 12 months.
The hole in the eardrum that has been made for the grommet heals naturally very quickly once the grommet has fallen out.
Occasionally you may need more than one set of grommets to be fitted if you have recurring bouts of glue ear.
Once you’ve woken up from the operation, you’ll need to rest for a few hours while the effects of the anaesthetic pass.
Side effects to the operation are usually mild and can include slight earache and bloodstained discharge from your ear which your doctor may prescribe painkillers to help you cope with.
You’ll also be given advice for caring for your ears, and will usually be asked to come back so that the doctor can check that the operation was successful.
Consultants
We offer Fixed Price Packages
Where possible, we’ll provide a fixed-price package for your hospital care. This covers your hospital stay, nursing, and use of our facilities, giving you a clear guide to what those costs will be.
- Pre-op assessment
- Hospital stay, nursing care and meals
- Tests, scans and physio during your stay
- Take-home medication (up to 5 days)
- Post-op follow-up appointments
- Standard equipment or prosthesis (if needed)
- Unplanned extended stay or ITU (if clinically required)
- Initial consultation and any tests done during it
- Consultant and anaesthetist fees (quoted separately)
- Physio or therapy before or after your stay
- Diagnostics before admission (unless agreed in your plan)
- Specialist medication beyond 5 days
- Ambulance transport or bespoke prosthetics
Your consultant’s fees are quoted separately and shared directly by their office after your consultation. These professional fees cover the time, expertise, and care provided by your consultant before, during, and after your treatment. See our full terms and conditions
Why choose The London Clinic?
Trusted for over 90 years, The London Clinic is an independent charitable hospital that reinvests into care, research, and support for those who can’t easily access private treatment.
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0% Finance Options
We’ve teamed up with Chrysalis to offer you funding options that allow you to spread the cost of your treatment.
If you choose to pay for your treatment at The London Clinic over 12 months, you can make use of a great 0% interest option and pay nothing extra. Or you can choose to pay over two to five years at 14.9% APR.
Trustees of the London Clinic Ltd trading as The London Clinic is an Appointed Representative of Chrysalis Finance Limited, which is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority. The London Clinic is a credit broker, not a lender. The provider of a payment scheme which is not offered through or by Chrysalis Finance Limited may not be so authorised and regulated. Cancer treatments or transplants aren’t covered by finance packages. Finance options are only available for UK patients.