Place of Tubomanometry in Patulous Eustachian Tube Diagnosis.

Résumé

OBJECTIVE: The aim of our study was to describe the diagnostic performances of tubomanometry (TMM) and to determine tubomanometric parameter thresholds for the diagnosis of patulous eustachian tube (PET).

STUDY DESIGN: We performed a retrospective, monocentric study, including patients treated for PET vs control group.

SETTING: This study was performed at the Otolaryngology Department of a tertiary-care hospital in the south of France.

METHODS: We collected epidemiologic and clinical data, as well as adjusted opening latency index ("R"-index), rhinopharyngeal pressure threshold of tubal opening (Po), and velar contraction index (IVC) on TMM. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used for determination of R index and Po thresholds.

RESULTS: Twenty-one patients (26 patulous ears) and 14 controls (24 normal ears) were included. The R index values and Po values were significantly lower in the PET group vs controls (0.46 vs 0.80, respectively; P < .05 for R index and 13.89 vs 26.42 mbar, respectively; P < .05 for Po). No significant difference was reported between the 2 groups on IVC measurement (P = .784). After ROC curve analysis, R index was the most discriminating factor to classify PET patients with 89% specificity and 76% sensitivity with a threshold ≤0.6. Po value ≤10 mbar could support this diagnosis with more than 83% specificity.

CONCLUSION: TMM is a reliable noninvasive method for positive diagnosis of PET. TMM could provide an accurate positive PET diagnosis and an objective evaluation for PET management.