Thanks for all the replies! I'm going to call an ENT doctor and also try to get in contact with a "specialized diving" doctor or ENT via DAN.
Recently I had a medical check, where they could see the opening was still there, but I will check with the ENT whether closing it is an option. Since the surgery many years ago I've not had any infections, so perhaps it is now OK to close that opening.
The ProEar mask sounds promising, but I agree you need to be able to tolerate water coming in the mask and in your ear...
In theory, if you would be able to close off the ear with the open eardrum perfectly - so without the equalizing channels the ProEar mask have - would equalizing be possible? Since the eardrum is open, I was thinking perhaps pressure in the ear is always equalized?
Cheers, Johan
Yes, with the eardrum open the pressure is always well equalized. But if you allow water entering the medium ear, you will suffer a large number of problems, as others already pointed out.
On the other side, if you close the ear duct with a plug or the like, you risk that the water pressure forces the plug inside your skull: possibly even worst than water...
Also using a not-pressurized ear cup is not recommended, this will become a "suction cup" underwater, causing capillary ruptures and haemorrhage in the part which is not at the same pressure as the rest of your body. Again, possibly worst than water entering into the medium ear.
The equalized cups of the Pro-ear mask, instead, do not present any significant danger, while they are in place. The risk is if you need to remove them, and descending further. Doing so, water will flow in. That's the reason for which we are not recommending this solution in presence of a pervious tympanic membrane (they are a good solution for people who have other reasons for not having water inside their ear ducts).
So I will follow the recommendations of your Scuba-aware ENT (in my experience "normal" ENTs have not enough knowledge for providing proper guidance).
The real solution in your case could be some sort of "tympanoplastic", or whatever such surgical procedure is named in your country.
I did know a couple of free divers who had this procedure performed successfully, after rupture of the tympanic membrane occurring during deep free diving in variable asset (which means descending VERY quickly attached to a weight).
In practice, some skin is cut away in some other part of your body and used for reconstructing the missing tympanic membrane.
@doctormike can be more precise than me on this procedure.
