Tympanometry in Secretory Otitis Media

Abstract

Tympanometry was performed in 51 ears with secretory otitis media before insertion of ventilating tubes. The results revealed 2 ears with normal tympanograms (type A), 42 ears in which tympanograms indicated immobile ear drums either due to stiff eardrum, middle ear effusion or a great underpressure (type B), and 7 ears in which the middle ear pressure was in the range of —50 to —200 mm H2O (type C). It is suggested that tympanometrically recorded negative middle ear pressure or immobile ear drum is significant for ears with secretory otitis media. Examination after healing of the tympanic membrane revealed 23 (45%) out of 51 ears with normal tympanograms. More than 10 months after healing of tympanic membrane, 40 of the 51 ears had been reviewed. In 2 ears ventilating tubes had been reinplanted and in 38 ears new tympanometric recordings were performed. 20 of these revealed normal tympanograms. The results support the opinions that tubal function requires a long time to be normalized, that drum membrane healing may occur in spite of poor tubal function, and that tubal function may remain poor in some ears in spite of drum membrane healing. In 29 ears with Eustachian tube problems but normal tympanic membranes and normal middle ear pressure the Eustachian tube function was determined with the impedance technique. Although only ears with normal middle ear pressure were included, 1/3 of the ears had abnormal Eustachian tube function.