An unusual complication of T-tubes

The morbidity of long-term ventilation tubes (Goode T-tubes) is often discussed with reference to otorrhoea, tympanosclerosis and long-term perforation. We report three cases of the T-tube slipping into the middle-ear cleft. In two of the three patients this was asymptomatic and the T-tubes were left in situ. In the third patient this complication was documented on three occasions when the T-tube was removed and reinserted for recurrent effusions. We are unaware of this complication being previously reported in the literature.