Open AccessEffects of Minimally Invasive OSA Surgery on Middle Ear
Author(s) -
Lin HsinChing,
Friedman Michael
Publication year - 2011
Publication title -
otolaryngology–head and neck surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.232
H-Index - 121
eISSN - 1097-6817
pISSN - 0194-5998
DOI - 10.1177/0194599811415823a449
Subject(s) - medicine , tympanometry , middle ear , surgery , obstructive sleep apnea , pure tone audiometry , pillar , otorhinolaryngology , audiometry , sleep apnea , anesthesia , hearing loss , audiology , structural engineering , engineering
Objective Study the impact of Pillar implantation plus radiofrequency tongue base reduction (RFBOT) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) syndrome on middle ear function. Method The patients who underwent a Pillar implantation combined with RFBOT for OSA were enrolled. All subjects had normal eardrums. Pure‐tone audiometry and tympanometry were performed preoperatively, and at 1 day, 7 days, 1 month, and 3 months postoperatively. Baseline and postoperative middle ear pressures (MEPs) in decipascals were compared. Results Twenty patients (17 men, 3 women; mean age 45.7 years) were reviewed. Six patients (6/20, 30.0%) reported otologic complaints such as ear pressure and/or otalgia within one week postoperatively. No permanent otologic discomfort occurred. A trend toward reduced MEP was noted in this study. The decrease in MEP became apparent on day 1 and 7. However, mean pressure changes were no longer significantly different from preoperative values by one week after surgery. Conclusion The minimally invasive surgery with Pillar implantation plus RFBOT for OSA induces changes in middle ear function. However, the changes were temporary and not significant after 3 months follow‐up.