Aerotitis Media: A Comparison of Barotraumatic Effusions with Middle Ear Fluids of Nonbarotraumatic Origin

Aerotitis media consists of barotraumatic changes in the middle ear which are brought about by rapid changes in atmospheric pressure. The formation of an effusion usually occurs, together with temporary discomfort and disablement, but a transient loss of hearing may also result in some instances. In this age of jets and missiles, when greater speeds and higher altitudes are being achieved, barotrauma continues to be a problem.1 Reports on various aspects of aerotitis media have appeared in the literature, but there is only a sparse amount of data concerning the components of the fluid which collects in a middle ear that has been sub