Sorry, ewww subject! Discharge after grommets...

[ListersSister]

DD had grommets put in on Wednesday. All was fine, no pain, although her ears are sensitive if pressed.

However, her ears are still leaking clear/pale yellow goo. It was dark for the first couple of days - I assumed dislodged wax. I wasn't expecting her ears to still be leaking now though. It is enough so that it is pooling in her ear every couple of hours and needs mopping.

Is this normal, or could they be infected? Ta!

Its always possible that there could be an infection and there's no pain because the grommets are letting the fluid out.

My ds has had grommets twice, second ones in last wednesday and he only really "leaked" for about a day after both.

I would give NHS direct a ring.

HTH

Hmm, I am beginning to wonder if this shouldn't be happening...thanks for your reply

Is it smelly?

no, not smelly, no pain, no redness. Just goopy like olive oil.
Seen your posts on the other grommets thread - are you a nurse ?

Can't believe there are two live grommets threads lol!

Hi ListersSister it's me (thread a couple of weeks back

I'm sure your consultant said the same as ours - there is a 3% risk of infection after grommet insertion.... anyway, FWIW, ds had dried blood coming out of one ear for about a week (normal apparently) and the other one was 'dry'. I took him to the gp exactly a week after the op because he was very grumpy and pulling on his ears = no infection.

Sorry I'm rabbiting, I know this is no help but bumping for you really - maybe it is an infection? 3% is a low rate but obviously still very possible. Though tbh sounds like wax. Hope you get it sorted soon, I would try the gp (mine let me look at ds's ear with the magnifier torch thing - looks like a tiny polo mint!)

No, not a nurse lol. Do work in the medical world though and my boss is an ex-consultant anaesthetist that I've worked for for 9 years so you tend to pick up wee bits and bobs and sound like a smart ass lol.

Just found this for you;

What problems can occur after the operation?

Signs of infection

Contact your GP if:

there is a discharge which has an unpleasant odour

your child has increased ear pain and/or

your child develops a temperature

There may be an infection and eardrops or antibiotics may be needed.

Problems are rare. However:

A grommet may become blocked and may need replacing

A small number of children get a persistent discharge from their ears after the operation. If this does not respond to eardrops or antibiotics, the grommets may have to be removed

Very occasionally the hole in the eardrum fails to heal after the grommet falls out. This rarely causes any problem, as the small hole will work in much the same way as a grommet, allowing air into the middle ear.

I'd definitely give NHS Direct a wee ring and see what they say.

Hi Snooks and lol @ mumhadenough!
Ta for your help.
I will ring NHSDirect tomorrow while DD is at school and get their advice if she comes home and it has still been oozing. Lovely stuff, eh!

Hi just to reassure you (dismay?) that my ds hd this type of oozing from one of his ears for around 8 weeks it would come and go and be pools of gunk in his ears. The doc said it was not the fluid all coming out. That saying I would call NHS direct as this all did not start until about 5 months after op and this sounds very recent. Hope dd is okay.

Thanks coffeekaren . Sorry, did the doc say it was or wasn't the fluid coming out?
I am about to ring NHSDirect and see what they say now - her ears on the outside, the lobe bits, look a bit red now, and I am wondering if it is the goo irritating them...

typed too quickly sorry and too early in the morning - the doctor said it was fluid and it was fairly normal for after grommits. It was fairly impressive quanities mind you. And then it just stopped.

How did you get on ListersSister?

Well, spoke to NHSDirect. Lovely lady, obviously just reading out a sheet though, and with no useful knowledge to impart. Told me to take DD to GP.

Phoned ward where DD had op. Staff nurse said if no pain or smell, then it was no cause for concern. Suggested that it it carries for for more than a few days form now, or doesn't seem to be decreasing, then go to GP.

I will give it a few more days and see. Obviously dd has been at school today, so I don't know how much it has been leaking, but I will see what what is like between now and bed.

Ta for asking mumhadenough . It is annoying this leaking though, as it is hard to tell whether the grommets have helped yet as her ears are still muffled by gunk!

Yeah it is, but you're doing the right thing getting it checked out.

Hope it all clears up and buggers off soon.

Update to this. DD has infections in both ears. GP tried oral ABs then when swab came back, prescribed AB ear drops. Oozing is decreasing now (two weeks on).

Problem is - DD's hearing is shite. Worse now than before the grommets were put in. I was assuming it was because of the amount of discharge, but this has lessened now, yet her hearing is still very poor.

Aargh! Any advice? Feels like we have gone backwards - a GA, two lots of AB, and hearing is worse (dd says only 5 out of 10 )