Assessment of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction in Tubotympanic Type of Chronic Otitis Media Patients.

Abstract

To detect the prevalence of eustachian tube dysfunction in tubotympanic type of chronic otitis media. To correlate eustachian tube dysfunction with surgical outcome of tympanoplasty. This observational study involved 79 patients diagnosed with inactive tubotympanic chronic suppurative otitis media who were planned for type-1 tympanoplasty. The Eustachian tube function preoperatively assessed using the saccharin test, measuring saccharin perception time through otoendoscopic examination. The results were then correlated with graft uptake following tympanoplasty during the follow-up period. This study was conducted over 18 months and sample size was 79. A 68% prevalence of eustachian tube dysfunction based on saccharin perception time was noted. In gross eustachian tube dysfunction category, 8.8% failure rate of tympanoplasty was noted at 3 months follow up.A 1.26% failure rate was noted in partial tube dysfunction. At 6 months follow up period, we noted a graft failure in both gross and partial eustachian dysfunction category which was 11.9% and 3.79% respectively. A correlation among post-operative graft uptake and eustachian tube dysfunction was noted in our study but this was not statistically significant. From our study we noted a high prevalence of eustachian tube dysfunction in CSOM tubotympanic type. Eustachian tube dysfunction is a very common entity that has to be evaluated prior to tympanoplasty surgery. Thus an easy, effective, and cost-effective method like the saccharin test can be used to evaluate eustachian tube function and the surgical outcomes of tympanoplasty as the eustachian tube plays crucial role in middle ear clearance and ventilation. This can guide us to take corrective measures to address the eustachian tube dysfunction.