Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Cologne, Cologne, Germany.
Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital Essen, University Duisburg-Essen, Essen, Germany.
Diving Hyperb Med. 2023 Mar 31;53(1):24-30. doi: 10.28920/dhm53.1.24-30.
The Eustachian tube (ET) is essential for fast and direct pressure equalisation between middle ear and ambient pressure. It is not yet known to what extent Eustachian tube function in healthy adults changes in a weekly periodicity due to internal and external factors. This question is particularly interesting with regard to scuba divers among whom there is a need to evaluate intraindividual ET function variability.
Continuous impedance measurement in a pressure chamber was performed three times at one-week intervals between measurements. Twenty healthy participants (40 ears) were enrolled. Using a monoplace hyperbaric chamber, individual subjects were exposed to a standardised pressure profile consisting of a 20 kPa decompression over 1 min, a 40 kPa compression over 2 min, and a 20 kPa decompression over 1 min. Measurements of Eustachian tube opening pressure (ETOP), opening duration (ETOD), and opening frequency (ETOF) were made. Intraindividual variability was assessed.
Mean ETOD during compression (actively induced pressure equalisation) on the right side was 273.8 (SD 158.8) ms, 259.4 (157.7) ms, and 249.2 (154.1) ms (Chi-square 7.30, P = 0.026) across weeks 1-3. Mean ETOD for both sides was 265.6 (153.3) ms, 256.1 (154.6) ms, and 245.7 (147.8) ms (Chi-square 10.00, P = 0.007) across weeks 1-3. There were no other significant differences in ETOD, ETOP and ETOF across the three weekly measurements.
This longitudinal study suggests low week-to-week intraindividual variability of Eustachian tube function.
咽鼓管（ET）对于中耳与环境压力之间的快速和直接压力平衡至关重要。由于内部和外部因素，健康成年人的咽鼓管功能在每周周期性变化中达到何种程度尚不清楚。对于其中需要评估个体咽鼓管功能变异性的水肺潜水员来说，这个问题尤其有趣。
在压力室中进行连续阻抗测量，在测量之间每周进行三次。共纳入 20 名健康参与者（40 耳）。使用单压舱，个体受试者暴露于标准压力曲线下，包括 1 分钟内 20 kPa 的减压、2 分钟内 40 kPa 的加压和 1 分钟内 20 kPa 的减压。测量咽鼓管开放压（ETOP）、开放持续时间（ETOD）和开放频率（ETOF）。评估个体内变异性。
右侧在加压期间（主动诱导压力平衡）的平均 ETOD 分别为 273.8（SD 158.8）ms、259.4（157.7）ms 和 249.2（154.1）ms（卡方值 7.30，P=0.026），第 1-3 周之间。双侧的平均 ETOD 分别为 265.6（153.3）ms、256.1（154.6）ms 和 245.7（147.8）ms（卡方值 10.00，P=0.007），第 1-3 周之间。在 3 次每周测量中，ETOD、ETOP 和 ETOF 均无其他显著差异。
这项纵向研究表明，咽鼓管功能的个体内周间变异性较低。
