Twenty-one cases of gasserian neurectomy in 17 patients are reviewed. Symptoms related to the ear developed in 76% of the cases; 67% had definite otologic findings in the immediate postneurectomy period. These consisted of hemotympanum, 55%; ecchymosis of the ear canal, 7%; and retracted tympanic membrane, 4%. In the late postoperative period, 58% continued with ear symptoms and 33% demonstrated residual ear pathology consisting of retracted tympanic membrane with or without fluid in (24%) and hyperemia of the eustachian tube orifice (8%). The possible causes of the hemotympanum and malfunction of the eustachian tube are discussed.
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Gardikes et al. (1972) studied this question.