OBJECTIVE: To compare the air deflation pressure of the eustachian tubes in patients with tympanic membrane perforations due to various forms of otitis media and those with myringotomy or blast injury perforations. METHODS: The study group consisted of 321 patients (407 ears) aged 4 months to 91 years with tympanic membrane perforations due to otitis media (318 ears), blast injury (27), and myr...

Objective. A systematic review and meta-analysis of the evidence on balloon Eustachian tuboplasty (BET) as a treatment modality for Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). We followed the PRISMA guideline and registered with PROSPERO No. CRD42014009461. Data Sources. We searched 12 databases including PubMed and Embase from January 1, 2010, to April 7, 2014, for studies of BET. Endpoints: change in ...

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is characterized by the occurrence of fluid in the middle-ear cavity in the absence of any signs of acute ear infection and occurs most frequently in children with auditory or eustachian tube dysfunction. Its chronic form is an important clinical issue for pediatricians and otologists alike. The study by Depreux et al. in this issue of the JCI shows that absence...

Background: We are taught that cholesteatoma occurs due to tympanic membrane retraction that is usually secondary to eustachian tube dysfunction. Many children with poor eustachian tube dysfunction get tubes, which has been described as an independent cause of cholesteatoma. Objective: To describe the risk factors for cholesteatoma in children with tympanostomy types. Design: Retrospective revi...

BACKGROUND The purpose of this retrospective study was to determine the long-term effects of radiotherapy on hearing function in patients who underwent parotidectomy and postoperative radiotherapy for unilateral tumors of the parotid gland. METHODS An extensive set of tests was used to measure hearing loss. The mean dose on middle ear, cochlea, and Eustachian tube was estimated with a CT-plan...