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Middle Ear Pressure Variation: Effect of Nitrous Oxide
Author(s) -
Chinn Kathleen,
Brown Orval E.,
Manning Scott C.,
Crandell Carl C.
Publication year - 1997
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 - 10.1097/00005537-199703000-00015
Subject(s) - nitrous oxide , variation (astronomy) , environmental science , audiology , medicine , anesthesia , physics , astrophysics
Previous studies examining middle ear pressure changes due to inhalant anesthesia, including nitrous oxide, have cited equivocal results. An investigation was performed to closely monitor changes in middle ear pressure during middle ear surgery. Baseline tympanometry was performed before anesthesia, and middle ear pressure was then documented in 1‐min time intervals. A total of 97 subjects were studied; 51 received nitrous oxide and halothane, and 46 received halothane alone. Results indicate that nitrous oxide causes significantly greater pressure fluctuations than halothane alone. There were no effects for time of surgery, type of fluid, or baseline. Pressure fluctuation was attributed to eustachian tube function. Case studies are presented to demonstrate subject variability, and suggestions for validation study procedures are presented.