A myringotomy is a surgical procedure in which an incision is created in the eardrum to relieve pressure caused by excessive fluid buildup, or to drain pus from the middle ear. A tympanostomy tube may be inserted through the eardrum to keep the middle ear aerated for a prolonged time and prevent fluid from reaccumulating; without a tube, the incision usually heals on its own within two to three weeks.
Facts
Partially Attested
Origin YearSourced to the subject's own accountEarliest documented instance in the article is an accidental perforation that improved hearing, not a deliberate procedure; deliberate therapeutic use is attributed later to Astley Cooper's 1801 papers and a 19th century reintroduction by Hermann Schwartze, neither with an exact year given. FAQs
How did the practice of cutting the eardrum begin?
It opens with an accidental eardrum puncture by Jean Riolan the Younger in 1649.
The history of myringotomy opens in 1649, when Jean Riolan the Younger accidentally pierced a patient's eardrum while cleaning it with an ear spoon.
Connections
Sources
1. Wikipedia
Wikipedia contributors, Wikimedia Foundation
2. Myringotomy (Wikipedia)
WikipediaHistory section, first sentence
In 1649, Jean Riolan the Younger accidentally pierced a patient's eardrum while cleaning it with an ear spoon.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Myringotomy, lead section
A myringotomy is a surgical procedure in which an incision is created in the eardrum (tympanic membrane) to relieve pressure caused by excessive buildup of fluid, or to drain pus from the middle ear.
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