[Clinical application of incomplete tympanectomy for secretory otitis media in nasopharyngeal carcinoma after radiotherapy].
OBJECTIVE
Efficacy of previous treatments on secretory otitis media ears with severely damaged eustachian tube function after radiotherapy is limited. Tympan perforation can avoid relapse of secretory otitis media. This study was to explore clinical value of incomplete tympanectomy for secretory otitis media in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy.


METHODS
After confirmed severely damaged eustachian tube function through comprehensive examinations, 16 NPC patients (18 ears) with secretory otitis media after radiotherapy received incomplete tympanectomy. All patients were followed up for more than 6 months.


RESULTS
After operation, 11 of 18 (61%) ears remained tympan perforation, audition was improved at large in these ears, the average air-bone conduction difference decreased from 30.1 dB to 16.0 dB, other symptoms, such as aural fullness, tinnitus, and headache, basically disappeared. After operation, tympans closed up in 7 (39%) ears,the average air-bone conduction difference decreased from 33.0 dB to 32.1 dB.


CONCLUSIONS
Incomplete tympanectomy may have a long and definite effect on secretory otitis media without any injury on audition after healing of tympan.
Zhou
Yong
Y
Department of Otolaryngology, The First Affiliated Hospital, Guangxi Medical University, Nanning, Guangxi 530-021, P.R. China. zhouyyy@163.com
Tang
An-Zhou
AZ
Tan
Song-Hua
SH
Li
Jie-En
JE
Fang
Qin
Q
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D010034:Otitis Media with Effusion / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011832:Radiation Injuries / Q000150:complications*; D014432:Tympanic Membrane / Q000601:surgery*