Chronic ear infection after surgery to remove 3 cm acoustic neuroma

[Julie]

I am on antibiotics for the 7th time since late last summer for an ear infection on the same side where I had an acoustic neuroma removed 5 years ago at House Clinic.  They aren't working, and I continue to have headaches and ear pain. If I hadn't had the surgery, I could have a simple tube placed by an ENT. It sounds like others have been treated for chronic infection and/or even a csf leak found years later (I wonder about this too now).  I am deaf on the left already from the tumor/surgery, but would like to spare damage to the facial nerve or other complications. I live in NC, and don't want to travel to California (House) unless I have to.  I am no doctor, but it would seem that if they have to open this area back up, I need to be pretty selective about who goes in there. Or am I making too much of this?  Any suggestions from those with similar issues?   

[CHD63]

Hi Julie and welcome to this forum .....

So sorry to read about your chronic ear infections ..... that has to be terribly painful and annoying, to say the least.

I also flew from the eastern half of this country to House Ear Clinic for my surgery last May.  I am not a doctor, but questions I have are:  Have you talked to the docs at House?  Has the infection been cultured to determine a specific strain?  If you have not talked with anyone at House and it has been cultured, you might contact them and give them that information and see what they recommend.

Is the infection in the ear canal or incision site?  In my mind, that would make a big difference in where I needed to go for treatment now.  If further surgery is recommended (which seems unlikely to me ..... not a doc here), if it were me, I would go right back out to House.

Many thoughts and prayers for a simple answer.

Clarice

[stevecms]

hi had ear infection 1 year after removal of 4cm an.had infection for about a year but doctors gave me wrong antibiotics for months.had to have 2nd op and they sealed the ear canal off.so far so good no infection just make sure they do a swab and u get right anti bio.steve