Abstract
Objectives: To evaluate the effect of OSMF on the eustachian tube function and to correlate it with various grades of the disease. Study Design: Twenty OSMF patients (40 ears) and 20 healthy controls (40 ears) were evaluated for eustachian tube function by eustachian tube function test, tympanometry and audiometry. Results: The audiometric and tympanometric analysis showed no significant differences in hearing abilities of OSMF patients and controls and between various grades of OSMF, indicating no hearing impairment. However, eustachian tube function test revealed a statistically significant difference in eustachian tube function in OSMF patients and controls. Further, there was a significant increase in severity of dysfunction with increase in severity of disease. Conclusions: From the present study it is evident that the subjective function of Eustachian tube may be affected by disease process. But, probably the amount of deviation found in function of the eustachian tube is non contributing to cause a conductive hearing loss. Key words:Oral submucous fibrosis, eustachian tube function, tympanometry.
Highlights
Oral submucous fibrosis [OSMF] is a chronic insidious disease, affecting any part of the oral cavity and sometimes the pharynx
Occasionally preceded by and/or associated with vesicle formation, it is always associated with a juxta-epithelial inflammatory reaction followed by fibroelastic changes of the lamina propria, with epithelial atrophy leading to stiffness of the oral mucosa and causing trismus and inability to eat [1]
A variety of etiological factors including capsaicin, betel nut alkaloids, hypersensitivity, autoimmunity, genetic predisposition and chronic iron and vitamin B-complex deficiency have been suggested by various authors, the most common of which is chewing areca nut [2]
Summary
Oral submucous fibrosis [OSMF] is a chronic insidious disease, affecting any part of the oral cavity and sometimes the pharynx. In severe cases along with mucosa and sub mucosa, degenerative changes have been reported in deeper tissues as well including muscle fibres [6,7] This have been reported by Gupta SC et al in their study where palatal and paratubal muscles showed degenerative changes in the form of atrophy, loss of cross striations and edema of myoepithelium [8]. Changes in these muscles which are attached to eustachian tube and soft palate may lead to eustachian tube dysfunction and hearing impairment [9]. This study was designed to evaluate eustachian tube function in OSMF patients and to correlate it with various clinical stages of the disease which may be helpful in assessing the morbidity and in identifying the overall prognosis to find more appropriate therapeutic interventions
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