Editing Eardrum (section)

===Surgical puncture for treatment of middle ear infections===
In some cases, the pressure of fluid in an infected middle ear is great enough to cause the eardrum to rupture naturally. Usually, this consists of a small hole (perforation), from which fluid can drain out of the middle ear. If this does not occur naturally, a [[myringotomy]] (tympanotomy, tympanostomy) can be performed. A myringotomy is a [[surgery|surgical]] procedure in which a tiny incision is created in the eardrum to relieve pressure caused by excessive buildup of fluid, or to drain [[pus]] from the [[middle ear]]. The fluid or pus comes from a middle ear infection ([[otitis media]]), which is a common problem in children. A [[tympanostomy tube]] is inserted into the eardrum to keep the middle ear aerated for a prolonged time and to prevent reaccumulation of fluid.  Without the insertion of a tube, the incision usually heals spontaneously in two to three weeks.  Depending on the type, the tube is either naturally extruded in 6 to 12 months or removed during a minor procedure.<ref name=Tube />

Those requiring myringotomy usually have an obstructed or dysfunctional [[Eustachian tube]] that is unable to perform drainage or ventilation in its usual fashion.  Before the invention of antibiotics, myringotomy without tube placement was also used as a major treatment of severe acute otitis media.<ref name=Tube>{{cite journal | title=To tube or not to tube: indications for myringotomy with tube placement |vauthors=Smith N, Greinwald JR | year=2011 | journal=Current Opinion in Otolaryngology & Head and Neck Surgery | volume=19 | pages=363–366|pmid=21804383 | doi=10.1097/MOO.0b013e3283499fa8 | issue=5|s2cid=3027628 }}</ref>