New ear tube procedure for children can be done in just minutes

Thousands of kids in Colorado get ear tubes every year. It’s one of the most common pediatric procedures, even though it can get expensive and requires general anesthesia.
But, that’s now changing at Children’s Hospital Colorado.
Like many toddlers, 18-month-old Bryson has had a few ear infections.
“Before he turned one, he had his first ear infection,” said his mother, Taylor Pinkus. “We really didn’t think much of it because he got over it really quickly. Then we started daycare in February of this year, and that was when they were just nonstop.”
That meant it was time for little Bryson to get ear tubes. Typically, ear tube procedures happen in an operating room with the child under anesthesia. However, just before Bryson’s scheduled surgery in early June, his mom learned of a new device that wouldn’t require her son to go under.
“And I was able to be right next to him, which was the best part because going into the operating room, parents don’t get to go back there,” Pinkus told CBS Colorado’s Kelly Werthmann.
Dr. Gregory Allen at Children’s Hospital Colorado did Bryson’s ear tube procedure using the FDA-approved device called The Hummingbird.
“In kids, their eustachian tube doesn’t work well, so they cannot pop their ears and equalize the pressure as easily as we can as adults,” he explained. “To put tubes in the ears, it’s necessary to make a small hole or small incision in the eardrum. After that incision is made, a tube is inserted into that incision. [The Hummingbird] allows us to make the hole in the ear drum and to place the tube all at one time.”
It’s almost like a piercing gun, he said. Using localized anesthesia on the ear drum, The Hummingbird device allows doctors to quickly place the tube in both ears in just a matter of minutes.
“Because it’s very quick and the device makes it very safe to do in young children,” said Allen, “We can do it in the office with minimal discomfort… and it’s more cost-efficient because we avoid operating room time and general anesthesia.”
Pinkus said her little boy was calm and comfortable during his procedure.
“Honestly, he did great,” she said. “They had a little papoose wrap on the table; it was just Velcroed around him. The entire procedure lasted maybe three to four minutes, and as soon as he was unwrapped and in my arms, he was fine.”
Since Bryson got his ear tubes earlier this summer, Pinkus said her son has been ear infection-free.
“It was a great experience,” she said.
Bryson is among the first patients to receive ear tubes with The Hummingbird at Children’s Hospital. Allen said he’s treated only a half dozen children or so with the new device over the last several months, but he expects it to become more widely used soon. That said, not all kids are candidates for The Hummingbird – Allen said 18 months of age or younger – but it’s best to consult with your pediatrician.