A comparative study on the nasal endoscopic findings in patients with chronic otitis media

Abstract

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Nasal and/or sinus disease may well contribute to the development of middle ear disease. In this study, the nasal endoscopic findings in patients with chronic otitis media (COM) compared with a group of people who do not have any otologic relevant disease to evaluate the association of anatomical variations with COM.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> A descriptive comparative study was done. A detailed history, clinical examination and diagnostic nasal endoscopy (DNE) had been done. DNE analysis include eustachian tube blockage, adenoid hypertrophy and inferior turbinate hypertrophy. The results were statistically analysed. </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> Total 108 cases (45 males and 63 females of age 31.17±14.50 years) and in the control group (48 males and 60 females of average age was 36.06±14.32 years) were included in the study. Most of the COM patients (66.7%) had multiple abnormalities of sinonasal regions compared to controls. Findings of DNE like eustachian tube blockage (p value=0.003), adenoid hypertrophy (p value=0.028) and inferior turbinate hypertrophy (p value=0.035) were significantly associated with chronic otitis media.</p><p><strong>Conclusions:</strong> Nasopharyngeal pathology causing eustachian tube dysfunction, has higher prevalence among chronic otitis media patients. So early recognition by diagnostic nasal endoscopy is warranted especially when surgery is considered for the comprehensive management of this overwhelming and enigmatic disease.</p>

Endoscopic Evaluation of the Eustachian Tube: assessment of a novel tool for grading Eustachian tube inflammation

“…described a scale for assessment of ET dysfunction, which incorporated ET edema, erythema, and mucus quantity and viscosity. These findings overlap with the criteria used in the present study, and have been reported as abnormalities that are associated with ET dysfunction . The previously proposed grading scale also incorporated an assessment of dynamic activity of the ET.…”