Relevance of the pharyngotympanic tube.

The auditory (Eustachian) tube connects the middle ear with the nasopharynx. This conduit permits equalisation of pressure between the middle ear and the throat. Balanced pressure allows the eardrum to vibrate freely as sound waves strike it. The auditory tube is also a potential anatomical route whereby opportunistic pathogens may migrate from the nose and throat to the middle ear. Eustachian tube (ET) function is disturbed in children with cleft palate, thereby rendering them susceptible to chronic otitis media with effusion (OME) and temporary conductive deafness. ET obstruction follows in these patients, and is thought to be related to the inability of the tensor veli palatini (TVP) to function properly. This anatomical overview reviews the clinical importance of the ET in the normal population and children with cleft palate.