Treatment of eustachian tube disturbances. Injection of silicone fluid into the pharyngeal orifice of the eustachian tube in cases of abnormally patent eustachian tube.

Forty-nine ears of patients with abnormally patent eustachian tubes were treated by injection of silicone fluid into the pharyngeal orifices of the eustachian tube.Eustachian tube function was examined objectively by the following methods:1) inspection of ear drums by pneumatic otoscope, 2) pure tone audiometry, 3)tympanometry, 4) tubo-tympanoaerodynometry, 5) endoscopy of the epipharynx.The atrophic mucosa and patent orifice of the eustachian tube were observed in all cases and these findings were considered to be characteristic of patent tubes. In all cases, injection of silicone fluid was performed through the nasal cavity under endoscopic observation of the tubal orifice using a nasopharyngoscope under local anesthesia in the sitting position. Patients were treated at weekly interval, and the effects of this treatment were discussed in relation to changes in symptoms and objective signs.Thirty-four ears (69.4%) with abnormally patent eustachian tubes responded well to this method following one to nine injections. Therefore, this seems to be a reliable treatment for this disease.In a five year follow up study no severe side effects were noted.