title: Surface tension of secretions from eustachian tube and middle ear.
abstract: The surface tension of secretions from the pharyngeal orifice of the eustachian tube in eight rabbits was analyzed with a modified maximum-bubble pressure method. Measurements were made before, during, and after intravenous injections of isoprenaline (10 micrograms/kg). Surface tension was found to be 57.6 +/- 0.9 (mean +/- SEM) mN/m before injections, and was not significantly changed by isoprenaline. The surface tension in middle-ear secretions from children with secretory otitis media was also determined, the serous type of secretion measuring 62.0 +/- 1.4 mN/m (n = 8), and the mucoid type 70.7 +/- 2.6 mN/m (n = 9). In another ten humans, measurements of tears were performed, and the surface tension was found to be 59.9 +/- 2.2 mN/m. This bubble technique promises to be useful for the evaluation of surface tension when the available sample volume is very small.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, University Hospital of Lund, Sweden.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: White
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Malm
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Enhörning
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000378:metabolism*; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D007545:Isoproterenol / Q000494:pharmacology; D011312:Pressure; D011817:Rabbits; D013500:Surface Tension / Q000187:drug effects; D013666:Tears / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D007545:Isoproterenol