Sonotubometric Assessment for Severity of Patulous Eustachian Tube

<jats:sec> <jats:title>Objective:</jats:title> <jats:p>To investigate the relationship between the morphological patency of the eustachian tube (ET) and sound transmission via the ET.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Study Design:</jats:title> <jats:p>Retrospective chart review and model experiment.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Setting:</jats:title> <jats:p>Tertiary referral center.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Subjects:</jats:title> <jats:p>A total of 56 ears of 28 patients (9 men and 19 women, aged from 12 to 82 yr, mean 40.4 ± 21.5 yr) who underwent sonotubometric measurement using postural change as well as computed tomography (CT) of the ET in the sitting position, including 26 ears with definite patulous ET, 9 ears with possible patulous ET, and 21 ears without patulous ET.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Method:</jats:title> <jats:p>Commercial equipment for sonotubometry (JK-05A; RION Co., Ltd., Kokubunji, Tokyo, Japan) was used in the following two investigations. Retrospective survey: sound patency of 7 kHz band noise via the ET was assessed by comparison of acoustic transfer function via the ET in the sitting and forward-bending positions. Sound patency via the ET was compared with morphological patency of the ET (cross-sectional area in the narrowest portion) assessed by three-dimensional CT of the ET in the sitting position. Model experiment: effect of the ET caliber on the acoustic transfer function was examined using a simple model constructed with two truncated syringes with silicone barrels and a narrow connecting tube.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results:</jats:title> <jats:p>Sound patency assessed by sonotubometry was well correlated with the cross-sectional area at the narrowest portion of the ET in the sitting position (<jats:italic toggle="yes">r</jats:italic> = 0.786, <jats:italic toggle="yes">p</jats:italic> < 0.001). Correlation between the sound patency via the narrow tube and the caliber of the tube was also confirmed by the model experiment.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions:</jats:title> <jats:p>Sound patency assessed by sonotubometry using 7 kHz band noise could be useful to predict the morphological severity of patulous ET.</jats:p> </jats:sec>