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Can we use the status of one ear to predict Eustachian tube function of the contralateral ear?
Author(s) -
Ashry Yehia,
Ward Bryan K.,
Poe Dennis S.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.26512
Subject(s) - eustachian tube , medicine , inner ear , tube (container) , middle ear , audiology , anatomy , materials science , composite material
BACKGROUND The Eustachian tube ventilates the middle ear, and its dilatory dysfunction leads to the development of middle ear diseases such as acute otitis media, otitis media with effusion (OME), tympanic membrane (TM) retraction pockets, and cholesteatoma. Although knowledge of the ear’s Eustachian tube function is essential for assessing the likely success of any middle ear surgery, no test is considered gold standard for diagnosis of Eustachian tube dysfunction. Otoscopy and pneumatic otoscopy are initial, quick techniques for clinically assessing Eustachian tube function. If one ear has a TM perforation, however, it can be difficult to assess the function of its Eustachian tube because pneumatic otoscopy and tympanometry are unhelpful. In these cases, many otolaryngologists will infer the state of the Eustachian tube on the side of the perforation from that of the contralateral intact one.