Gas absorption in serous otitis. A clinical aspect.
Animal experiments have shown that gas absorption can produce a considerable intratympanic underpressure when the gas composition of the middle ear is disturbed. A similar phenomenon was observed in children with serous otitis. In 12 ears with underpressures exceeding -150 mm H2O, Valsalva inflation or politzerization produced a transient improvement followed by a rapid return to subatmospheric pressures ranging from -130 to -300 mm H2O. In four cases with middle ear pressures between -65 and -135 mm H2O, the same procedure did not result in any significant underpressures. These findings suggest that inflation of the middle ear in the presence of a deep underpressure serves no purpose. It is also possible that a negative pressure, once established, can be maintained in this way.
D000042:Absorption; D001274:Atmospheric Pressure; D002648:Child; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005740:Gases / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000378:metabolism*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000378:metabolism*; D011312:Pressure; D014636:Valsalva Maneuver
D005740:Gases