Left–right differences in Eustachian tube function in children with ventilation tubes

Abstract

Objective: To study the intraindividual variation in Eustachian tube (ET) function in children with ventilation tubes. Methods: The forced response test, the pressure equilibration test and the sniff test were performed on both ears of 148 children. The results of both ears were compared. Results: No systematic differences were found between the left and the right ears. However, the intraindividual variation was very pronounced. The variation in passive ET function within children was of similar magnitude as the variation in passive ET function between children. Twenty-eight percent of the children had different active ET function in both ears and 15% had an opposite result in each ear with respect to the sniff test. Conclusions: This study shows that ET function is much more a characteristic of the individual ear than of the individual child. These findings also question the validity of trials on ET function or middle ear disease that use the opposite ear as a control (split level design).