A Comparison of the Effects of Veau-Wardill-Kilner Palatoplasty and Furlow Double-Opposing Z-Plasty Operations on Eustachian Tube Function

2000 ◽  
Vol 37 (3) ◽  
pp. 266-270 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ethem Güneren ◽  
Zafer Özsoy ◽  
Mithat Ulay ◽  
Erhan Eryilmaz ◽  
Haluk Özkul ◽  
...  

Objective The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of Veau-Wardill-Kilner (VWK) two-flap palatoplasty and Furlow double-opposing Z-plasty operations on eustachian tube (ET) opening in patients with cleft palate (CP). Design Twenty-six patients underwent CP repair between 1993 and 1997. VWK and Furlow operations were used in 13 patients each. All patients were examined by the otorhinolaryngologist before and after the operations; mean follow-up time was 27.3 months. Secretory otitis media (SOM), as identified by tympanograms, was the comparison criterion used. Results The prevalence of SOM was 69% (n = 18) in all CP patients pre-operatively. Among those with preoperative SOM, we did not find any statistically significant difference in the frequency of postoperative SOM between the two techniques. Conclusion This study suggests that there is no difference in postoperative ET function between patients undergoing either VWK or Furlow operations, in spite of the differences in muscle positioning in these operations. We discuss the implications of this finding in relation to surgical anatomy and histology of the soft palate muscles.

Author(s):  
Lalit Kochar ◽  
Deepak V. Chauhan ◽  
S. P. Bajaj ◽  
Akash Juneja

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> Isolated cleft palate and cleft palate and cleft lip patients have poor Eustachian tube function which results in hearing impairment that too in the speech formative years. Aim of study was to evaluate tympanometric findings in patient of cleft palate and effect of palatoplasty on both short term and long term postoperatively.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> The subjects consisted of patients attending the cleft lip and palate clinic. This was a combined clinic consisting of department of plastic surgery, department of ENT and department of dental surgery held every month at a tertiary care hospital in Delhi. Study consisted of three groups of patients namely preoperative group, postoperative group and pre-postoperative group.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> No significant difference was observed in tympanometric abnormalities in cases of combined cleft lip and palate as compared to isolated cleft palate. After age of 5 months once changes of OME has set in there was no significant change in middle ear findings irrespective of palatal repair.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> There is a very high prevalence of otitis media with effusion in these patients. The changes do resolve spontaneously after age of seven, this perhaps is due to combined effect, growth, development and l maturity of Eustachian tube and palatal surgery rather than palatal surgery alone.</p><p> </p>


1994 ◽  
Vol 111 (4) ◽  
pp. 423-429 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy L. Smith ◽  
Douglas C. Diruggiero ◽  
Kim R. Jones

Eustachian tube dysfunction is a nearly universal complication of cleft palate, resulting in chronic ear disease and conductive hearing loss. Cleft palate repair is thought to result in recovery of eustachian tube function, but the length of time between repair and recovery of eustachian tube function is not known. Furthermore, the efficacy of tympanostomy tubes in the treatment of eustachian tube dysfunction and hearing sequelae has not been examined in a systematic way. To answer these questions, we performed a retrospective study that used serial audiometric data and tympanometry on 81 patients with cleft palates (162 ears), with follow-up ranging from 1 to 17.3 years. Average time to recovery of eustachian tube function was 6.0 years (range, 1.0 to 10.3 years) after cleft palate surgery. For children followed up for at least 6 years (longest follow-up, 17.3 years), 70% (67 of 85) had normal eustachian tube function at their last follow-up visit. Ears treated with Armstrong tympanostomy tubes required an average of 3.1 tubes per ear until recovery of eustachian tube function, whereas ears treated with Goode T tubes required only 1.1 tubes per ear ( p < 0.05). Hearing evaluation revealed that 67% of ears had abnormal hearing thresholds (>20 dB) before tympanostomy tube placement, whereas only 7.5% of ears demonstrated this loss after tube placement. Furthermore more than 90% of ears maintained normal thresholds after recovery of eustachian tube function. These data indicate that most children with cleft palates eventually recover normal eustachian tube function after palatoplasty, but for the majority of children, this does not occur for many years. Furthermore, the hearing loss before tympanostomy tube placement and palatoplasty largely resolves after aeration of the middle ear and does not result in any significant permanent hearing deficit.


Author(s):  
Francesco Martines ◽  
Francesco Dispenza ◽  
Federico Sireci ◽  
Salvatore Gallina ◽  
Pietro Salvago

(1) Background: Inferior turbinates’ hypertrophy is often associated with Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD); radiofrequency turbinate reduction (RTR) may provide a long-term improvement of nasal obstruction and ETD-related symptoms. (2) Aim: The study aimed to compare ETD in atopic and non-atopic patients before and after RTR and to investigate the correlation between tympanometry and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 (ETDQ-7). (3) Methods: Ninety-seven patients, ranging from 33 to 68 years old, were screened by skin tests and divided into atopic (G1) and non-atopic (G2). Eustachian tube function (ETF) was evaluated through tympanometry, William’s test and ETDQ-7. (4) Results: A moderate to severe subjective ETDQ-7 was found in the 35.42% of G1 and in the 22.45% of G2 patients before RTR. William’s test resulted normal in 141 ears (72.68%), partially impaired in 15 (7.73%), and grossly impaired in 38 (19.59%) before surgery. A grossly ETD was evidenced in the 19.59% of cases before surgery and decreased to 6.18% after surgery with a significant difference among atopic patients (p < 0.001). (5) Conclusion: RTR may be considered a treatment option in patients suffering from ETD and inferior turbinates’ hypertrophy; RTR reduced the percentage of grossly impaired ET function (p < 0.001). ETDQ-7 and William’s test may represent valuable tools to assess ET function before and after surgery.


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