Stangerup S E, Tjernström O, Harcourt J, Klokker M, Stokholm J
Department of Otolaryngology, Gentofte University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
J Laryngol Otol. 1996 Jul;110(7):625-8. doi: 10.1017/s0022215100134450.
Barotitis is an acute or chronic inflammation caused by environmental pressure changes. The most common cause is the pressure change during descent in civil aviation. To prevent barotitis the middle ear pressure has to be equalised several times during descent. This can be achieved by performing the Valsalva manoeuvre, but for children, many of whom have a dysfunction of the Eustachian tube, this is difficult to perform and they are therefore at high risk of developing barotitis during flight. The traditional treatment modalities of barotitis are inflation by a Politzer balloon, myringotomy or prophylactic grommet insertion. An alternative treatment or prophylactic measure is autoinflation using the Otovent treatment set. This prophylaxis/treatment can be performed by the child with assistance from its parents as soon as possible or rather before the descent has started. The prevalence of barotitis amongst transit passengers was found to be highest in young children, 25 per cent, compared with adults, five per cent. Only 21 per cent of the youngest children with negative middle ear pressure after flight managed a successful Valsalva's manoeuvre, whereas 82 per cent could increase the middle ear pressure inflating the Otovent set. In conclusion we recommend autoinflation using the Otovent set by children and adults with problems clearing the ears during flight.
气压性中耳炎是一种由环境压力变化引起的急性或慢性炎症。最常见的病因是民航飞行下降过程中的压力变化。为预防气压性中耳炎，在下降过程中必须多次平衡中耳压力。这可以通过进行瓦尔萨尔瓦动作来实现，但对于许多咽鼓管功能不全的儿童来说，这很难做到，因此他们在飞行过程中患气压性中耳炎的风险很高。气压性中耳炎的传统治疗方法是使用波利策尔球囊通气、鼓膜切开术或预防性鼓膜置管术。一种替代治疗或预防措施是使用Otovent治疗套装进行自主通气。这种预防/治疗可以在儿童父母的协助下，由儿童尽快进行，或者最好在下降开始前进行。在过境乘客中，气压性中耳炎的患病率在幼儿中最高，为25%，而成人仅为5%。飞行后中耳压力为阴性的最小儿童中，只有21%成功完成了瓦尔萨尔瓦动作，而82%通过使用Otovent套装通气能够提高中耳压力。总之，我们建议在飞行过程中难以清理耳部问题的儿童和成人使用Otovent套装进行自主通气。
