Specialist Ear Surgery and Treatment in London
Consultant-led assessment and treatment with Mr Max Whittaker for perforated eardrums, hearing loss, chronic ear disease and conditions affecting the middle ear.
Treatment is based on the condition of the individual ear. Some patients require observation or medical treatment, while others may benefit from reconstructive or disease-control surgery.
Assessment, reconstruction and treatment for eardrum and middle-ear conditions.
Treatment begins with understanding the ear
The same symptom can result from different problems within the ear.
Hearing loss may result from a perforated eardrum, damage to the hearing bones, middle-ear inflammation, chronic infection or inner-ear hearing loss.
A persistent perforation may require repair, but many perforations heal naturally and some can be managed without surgery.
Specialist assessment allows the eardrum, middle ear, hearing and history of infection or previous surgery to be considered together before a treatment plan is recommended.
Specialist ear surgery and treatment options
The appropriate treatment depends on the diagnosis, hearing, condition of the middle ear and the patient’s individual circumstances.
Eardrum Repair
Assessment and treatment of persistent tympanic membrane perforation, including discussion of myringoplasty and tympanoplasty where appropriate.
- Persistent eardrum perforation
- Hearing difficulty
- Recurrent discharge
- Water-related ear infections
Endoscopic Ear Surgery
Endoscopic techniques can provide a direct view through the ear canal and may be suitable for selected middle-ear conditions.
- Selected eardrum repair
- Middle-ear disease
- Selected cholesteatoma surgery
- Combined endoscopic approaches
Myringoplasty & Tympanoplasty
Surgical reconstruction of the tympanic membrane, with wider middle-ear repair where additional disease or damage needs to be addressed.
- Eardrum grafting
- Tympanic membrane reconstruction
- Middle-ear assessment
- Hearing preservation considerations
Ossiculoplasty
Reconstruction of the small hearing bones of the middle ear where damage or disease contributes to conductive hearing loss.
- Ossicular damage
- Conductive hearing loss
- Chronic middle-ear disease
- Reconstruction during ear surgery
Mastoid Surgery
Surgery for selected patients with cholesteatoma or chronic ear disease where removal and control of disease are the primary objectives.
- Cholesteatoma
- Chronic infection
- Mastoid disease
- Long-term ear safety
Specialist Ear Consultation
Consultant assessment for patients who need a diagnosis, second opinion or discussion about previous investigations or proposed treatment.
- Ear examination
- Hearing-test review
- Previous surgery review
- Treatment planning
Assessment before treatment
Surgical treatment should follow an assessment of the underlying ear condition rather than being selected from symptoms alone.
Clinical history
Symptoms, infection history, hearing change, previous ear surgery and relevant medical history are reviewed.
Ear examination
The eardrum and ear canal are examined to understand the anatomy and identify active disease.
Hearing assessment
Audiology may help distinguish conductive hearing loss from inner-ear hearing loss.
Individual treatment plan
Observation, further investigation, medical treatment or surgery can then be discussed.
Specialist expertise in otology and ear surgery
Mr Max Whittaker’s specialist practice focuses on ear disease, hearing and reconstructive surgery.
His training includes advanced Otology and Skull Base Surgery at Guy’s and St Thomas’, international observership experience at the House Institute in California and Toronto General Hospital, and an MSc with Distinction in Audiovestibular Medicine from UCL.
Mr Whittaker is also Clinical Lead in Otolaryngology at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust.
Endoscopic, microscopic or combined
The operative approach is chosen according to the anatomy and condition of the individual ear.
Through the ear canal
An endoscope can provide angled views of the eardrum and middle ear and may be suitable for selected procedures.
Traditional magnified approach
Microscopic surgery remains appropriate for many ear operations and can provide two-handed surgical access.
Use both where appropriate
Some operations benefit from combining microscopic and endoscopic views rather than treating the techniques as mutually exclusive.
When might a specialist consultation be useful?
A perforated eardrum has not healed as expected.
Hearing remains reduced or has changed.
The ear repeatedly becomes infected or discharges.
Previous ear surgery has not resolved the problem.
You have been advised to consider myringoplasty, tympanoplasty, ossiculoplasty or mastoid surgery.
You would like a specialist second opinion before deciding about treatment.
Learn more before your consultation
Our patient guides explain perforated eardrum symptoms, healing, eardrum repair, recovery and common questions such as flying.
Patient InformationCommon questions about specialist ear treatment
General information cannot determine which treatment is appropriate for an individual patient.
No. Many perforated eardrums heal without surgery. Persistent perforations may need specialist assessment, especially if they cause hearing loss, recurrent infection or discharge.
Myringoplasty is an operation to repair a persistent hole in the tympanic membrane using graft material.
Ossiculoplasty is reconstruction of the small bones that transmit sound through the middle ear. It may be considered where damage contributes to conductive hearing loss.
No. Endoscopic techniques can be useful for selected conditions, while other operations are better performed using microscopic or combined approaches.
Use the secure Book Consultation page to submit an appointment request. The clinic team will then contact you to confirm the appointment.
Discuss your ear symptoms with a specialist
Request a consultation with Mr Max Whittaker for an individual assessment of your ear, hearing and treatment options.