Tympanometric Findings among Adults with Chronic Nasal Obstruction Due to Sinonasal Pathology

Background: The nasal obstruction is one of the causes that affect the middle ear function, but the physiological mechanism of this effect is not well understood. This study aims at 1st ; evaluation of the middle ear function among adults with chronic nasal obstruction due to sinonasal pathology using tympanometry, and 2 nd , at comparison between the anatomical and mucosal inflammatory causes of nasal obstruction and its impact on the middle ear function.

Patients and methods: A prospective case study of (310) adult patients with chronic nasal obstruction were subjected to tympanometry for study of middle ear pressure in the private ENT clinic for a period of two years in the Salah Al-Deen governorate.

Results: this study found that (13%) of adults with chronic nasal obstruction had abnormal tympanogram (type B or C), (17.2%) was due to mucosal inflammation and (7%) due to anatomical and structural cause. Commonly one ear affected (unilateral) was (67.5%). Myringotomy and aspiration of middle ear found that (64%) had OME and VT was inserted.

Conclusion: The study statistically proved that adults with chronic nasal obstruction due to mucosal inflammation differs from others due to anatomical and structural causes in the followings; 1.The incidence of abnormal tympanogram (type B and C) is more. 2.The type B (OME) was more than type C (Eustachian tube dysfunction). 3.In the treatment ,it was found that the need to VT insertion was more.