Are Ear Tubes a Scam? No, But Costly Tympanostomies Can Be Avoided.
Tympanostomy tube insertion, which involves placing a tiny drainage pipe, or ear tube, into a childs eardrum, is the most common ambulatory pediatric surgery. As of 2006, some 667,000 kids were sitting through the procedure each year in the U.S. By age three, roughly one in every 15 children has had tympanostomy tubes, a number