Clinical evaluation of Eustachian tube transience and function in patients with different types of increased nasal resistance

Abstract

Eustachan tube is a connection between throat and the middle ear. Inflammatory processes and malformations of nasal cavity could lead to dysfunction of the whole upper respiratory tract, thas emphasizing the evaluation of the Eustachian tube function both in surgery and in medicine in general. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Eustachian tube passage and function by tympanometry in different types of nasal resistance. Eustachian tube passage and function was tested in 102 patients with different types of nasal pathology and nasal resistance and compared to the results of 41 healthy persons with normal values of nasal resistance included in the control group. The patients with nasal pathology were divided into three subgroups: with mechanical, inflammatory and mixed alterations. Nasal resistance was carried out with constant body plethysmography (Jaeger). The test of Eustachian tube passage and function was performed using tympanometric Toynbee-deglutition/Valsalva-deglutition test. The results of measurements were compared with those in the healthy control group and analyzed by means of parametric and nonparametric statistic tests, Pearson chi2 test, Fisher test of exact probability and variance analysis. The subgroup with inflammatory alterations had significantly higher values of pathological tympanograms than other subgroups and the control group (p < 0,05). The dysfunction of the Eustachian tube was significantly more present in all subgroups than in the control group (p < 0,05). Pathological form of tympanograms is more often present in purely inflammatory changes of nasal cavities with higher nasal resistance than in mechanical nasal obstruction. All forms of higher nasal resistance are more often accompanied with Eustachian tube dysfunction. There was no significant differences in Eustachian tube passage between the subgroups and the control group.