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Advances in Eustachian tube function testing.

Published version
Peer-reviewed

Type

Article

Change log

Authors

Smith, Matthew E 
Bance, Manohar L 
Tysome, James R 

Abstract

Obstructive and patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction provide a significant diagnostic and management challenge. The development of new treatments such as balloon Eustachian tuboplasty has generated renewed interest in measuring Eustachian tube function, as a method of selecting appropriate patients for intervention, and measuring their treatment outcomes. This review summarises recent findings relating to Eustachian tube function assessment. Increasingly it is recognised that patient reported outcome measures based on symptoms are highly non-specific and non-diagnostic, and clinical assessment alone may not permit the selection of individuals with abnormal Eustachian tube opening. Tests of Eustachian tube opening therefore may represent a practical and objective addition to patient assessment in clinic, allowing the identification of individuals with abnormal (patulous or obstructive) Eustachian tube function. A diagnostic pathway is described on this basis. More work is required to validate the described Eustachian tube function tests, and there remain individuals, such as those with dysfunction limited to pressure challenges, in whom function tests have yet to fully characterise the disorder.

Description

Keywords

Accuracy, Diagnosis, Eustachian tube, Function, Test

Journal Title

World J Otorhinolaryngol Head Neck Surg

Conference Name

Journal ISSN

2095-8811
2589-1081

Volume Title

Publisher

Wiley