title: [Relation between size of the nasopharynx and occurrence of chronic otitis media].
abstract: Aetiopathogenesis of chronic middle ear inflammation has not yet been sufficiently elucidated. Eustachian tube infection, causative organism virulence, immune status and biologically predisposed middle ear mucosa play the major role. The study was aimed at evaluation of the correlation between nasopharyngeal size and development of chronic middle ear inflammations. The studies were performed in 60 adults. Group A comprised the patients affected with chronic middle ear inflammation. Group B was the control group composed of healthy individuals matched with respect to their sex and age. The studies included clinical examination, audiological findings, radiological studies and craniometrical X-ray measurements. The type of chronic middle ear inflammation was defined as well as normal findings in the control group. X-ray nasopharyngeal area in the mediosagittal head plane was calculated. The results of the studies indicate that skeletal dimensions of nasopharynx were smaller in patients with chronic middle ear inflammation in comparison to those found in the control group. Nasopharyngeal morphological differences have certain influence on the shape, position and dimensions of the tube and its function. Determination of nasopharyngeal dimensions may be predictive of development of chronic middle ear inflammation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology, Medical Centre, Kragujevac.
authors.forename: Ljiljana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tadić
authors.forename: Zeljko
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Vasković
authors.forename: Stevan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stojanović
authors.forename: Jasmina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krsmanović
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002508:Cephalometry; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009305:Nasopharynx / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology*; D011859:Radiography