Introduction: Good eustachian tube function (ETF) is one of the most important factor deciding the hearing outcome following tympanoplasty for chronic otitis media (COM) mucosal disease. However, assessment of eustachian tube function is not easy in the presence of a perforated tympanic membrane. This study aims to find out the proportion of patients with postoperative eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) after tympanoplasty and to find the risk factors for post operative eustachian tube dysfunction in tympanoplasty for COM.

Materials and Methods: This is a prospective observational study, conducted from 1rst November 2017 to 31rst May 2019 in the Department of ENT, Government Medical College, Thiruvananthapuram. 105 consecutive patients with COM mucosal disease, who underwent tympanoplasty with or without cortical mastoidectomy, were included in the study and followed up for a period of 3 months and Eustachian tube function assessed. The patients with eustachian tube dysfunction were compared with those with normal eustachian tube function to identify the factors significant in the development of post-operative Eustachian tube dysfunction

Results: Out of the 105 cases studied, the proportion of patients with post-operative eustachian tube dysfunction was 49.5%. The risk factors significantly associated with post operative eustachian tube dysfunction were history of sino nasal disease, nasal allergy, abnormal ETF in contralateral ear and abnormal results of Toynbee test in preoperative Tympanometry for analyzing ETF in perforated tympanic membrane.

Conclusion: Hence, we would like to consider above mentioned risk factors as predictive factors of post-operative ETD. Good ETF was also associated with better hearing outcome, compared with patients with ETD.

Keywords: Post-operative eustachian tube dysfunction; Tympanoplasty; Chronic otitis media; Impedance Audiometry.

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Megha Mohan

Senior Resident, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Govt. Medical College, Ernakulam