Patulous Eustachian tube. Diagnostic evaluation by sonotubometry.

Twenty-five patients (31 ears) with pathologically patent Eustachian tubes are presented and the symptoms are analysed. All the ears were examined by sonotubometry and two different opening patterns could be separated for the patulous tube. The variations in impedance of the ear during respiration were recorded from nearly all ears and three ears with eardrum perforation were also investigated by means of the airpressure equalization method. Only sonotubometry brought out clearly the patulous Eustachian tube in all the ears examined. It is thus a useful addition for diagnosing the abnormal patency of the Eustachian tube and for following up the results of its treatment, then the explanation of the cure does not remain open to conjecture.