Different reactions of human nasal and Eustachian tube mucosa after hyperbaric oxygen exposure: a pilot study

Abstract

Impairment of Eustachian tube function has been observed after hyperbaric oxygen treatment as well as after diving on oxygen used as breathing gas. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of hyperbaric oxygen exposure on Eustachian tube ventilatory function and airflow characteristics of the nose. Six police task force divers performing two consecutive dives within a regular training schedule on oxygen were examined. Middle ear impedance, and nasal airflow velocities before and after diving as well as on the morning after the dive day were measured. Middle ear impedance decreased overnight in comparison to pre-dive values (P = 0.027) as well as compared to the value after the first dive (P = 0.032). Rhinoflowmetry did not reveal any changes of nasal airflow velocities related to the dives. Furthermore, no association between middle ear impedance and nasal airflow velocities was found. An impairment of Eustachian tube ventilatory function was obtained after hyperbaric oxygen exposure during dives employing oxygen as breathing gas. This impairment, however, was not associated with altered airflow characteristics of divers' noses. Thus, it seems unlikely that hyperbaric oxygen exerts an effect on the nasal mucosa similar to that on the Eustachian tube mucosa.

Panel 2: Anatomy (Eustachian Tube, Middle Ear, and Mastoid—Anatomy, Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Pathogenesis)

“…46 Mutzbauer et al attempted to elucidate the pathway via which hyperbaric pressure effects nasal patency, ETF, and MEP and found no differences with respect to rhinometry. 47…”

“…46 Mutzbauer et al attempted to elucidate the pathway via which hyperbaric pressure effects nasal patency, ETF, and MEP and found no differences with respect to rhinometry. 47 In a multimodal study, Alper prospectively examined ETF in 15 healthy adults, with concurrent unilateral recordings of the tensor veli palatine (mTVP) and levator veli palatine (mLVP) muscle electromyography, sonotubometry, and videoendoscopy and found that mTVP activity was associated with ET opening by sonotubometry. 48 Chang et al studied mTVP and mLVP electromyography in 10 subjects with unilateral ME disease and did not find significant differences between sides.…”

“…Applying continuous tympanic impedance, Meyer and colleagues measured ET dilation duration and opening and closing pressures during decompression phases 46 . Mutzbauer et al attempted to elucidate the pathway via which hyperbaric pressure effects nasal patency, ETF, and MEP and found no differences with respect to rhinometry 47 …”

Ventilation tubes and indications

“…EOM yanında hiperbarik oksijen tedavisine bağlı olarak timpanik membran perforasyonları, kemik zincir dislokasyonları, oval ve yuvarlak pencere yırtıklarına bağlı vertigo ve sensorinöral işitme kaybı görülebilir (40). Hiperbarik oksijen tedavisi östaki mukozasında ödem ve disfonksiyona neden olurken nazal mukozada önemli fonksiyon kaybına neden olmamaktadır (41). Barotravmayı önlemek için, lokal ve sistemik dekonjestanlar kullanılmasına rağmen, bunların etkinlikleri ispatlanmamıştır.…”