Eustachian tube disorders can lead to chronic otitis media with consecutive conductive hearing loss. To improve treatment and to develop new types of implants such as stents, an adequate experimental animal model is required. As the middle ear of sheep is known to be comparable to the human middle ear, the dimensions of the Eustachian tube in two strains of sheep were investigated. The Eustachi...

BACKGROUND The Health Technology Assessment programme commissioned a wide-ranging review of treatments for adult Eustachian tube dysfunction. Treatments range from advice and observation and pharmacological treatments to surgical options. OBJECTIVE (i) To assess the evidence for interventions for adults with a clinical diagnosis of Eustachian tube dysfunction and (ii) to identify priorities f...

We observed 2 cases of malignant melanoma arising from the eustachian tube with MR imaging. In this region, we explored further characteristics of primary mucosal melanoma. We discuss the value of using MR imaging to diagnose and treat patients with melanoma in the eustachian tube. In addition, we introduce the key points to differentiate melanoma from some common diseases in the region.

BACKGROUND Eustachian tube dysfunction is common and implicated in persistent middle ear disease. Recent studies suggest the promise of balloon dilatation of the Eustachian tube to modify local anatomy and physiology, restoring normal function. OBJECTIVES A literature review of the outcomes of balloon dilatation of the Eustachian tube was conducted, assessing four criteria (tympanometry, otos...

BACKGROUND Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is a common medical issue, occurring in at least 1% of the adult population. Patients suffering from ET dysfunction typically present with complaints of hearing loss or sensation of pressure or plugged ear, which can lead to impaired quality of life. Over time ETD can result in conductive hearing loss or choleastatoma formation. Effective theraputic ...

Title: Meniere’s disease with patulous eustachian tubes Background: Meniere’s disease (MD) is considered to be a multifactorial disease. Although there are some previous reports on the relationship between MD and stenotic eustachian tube (ET), there are a few reports evaluating MD and patulous ET. The study aimed to investigate whether MD would have patulous ET or not. Methods and Findings: Son...

Learning Objectives: Recent studies on the mastoid structure and function has pointed to an important role in middle ear physiology. The normal function of the middle ear depends on regulation of its pressure relative to ambient pressure, and traditionally gas exchange between the middle ear mucosa and gas pocket has been focused on together with the function of the Eustachian tube. However, re...

Two patients with congenital dermoids of the eustachian tube presented with recurrent otitis media and chronic otorrhea resistant to antimicrobial therapy. CT demonstrated fat density, homogeneous lesions, filling and expanding the eustachian tube. On MR, signal from the lesions was consistent with fat, and the relationship with the internal carotid artery was better delineated than by CT. Micr...

Nasopharyngeal cancer (NPC) is one of the most common cancers in Taiwan. It can spread anteriorly, laterally, posteriorly, superiorly and inferiorly. Skull base invasion is the common presentation, in up to one-third of cases. We report a rare spreading pathway of NPC, via the eustachian tube. A 44-year-old male suffered from NPC and got radiotherapy about 2 years ago. He suffered from middle e...

Objective Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction is most frequently caused by a failure of the ET to adequately open; however, there is currently no reliable method of assessing this. Tubomanometry has recently shown good interindividual repeatability as a measure of ET function by measuring middle ear pressure after the application of regulated nasopharyngeal pressures during swallowing. We present ...