A perforated ear drum (tympanic membrane) can cause conductive hearing loss by disrupting sound transmission to the middle ear bones. This damage often results from injury or repeated infections and may also affect the ossicular chain.

Tympanoplasty is the procedure used to repair the ear drum, and it may include ossicular chain reconstruction if the bones are damaged. The surgery uses a small tissue graft, typically taken from behind the ear, to restore the drum’s function and improve hearing.