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The endoscopic study of human middle ear mucociliary transport

  • Otology
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Abstract

The mucociliary clearance (MCC) is an important defence mechanism of the middle ear. The mucociliary transport (MCT) is a part of MCC. We measured the duration of MCT and visualised its routes in middle ears of 31 patients (mean age 45 years; range 7–61 years; SD 11.6) with intact tympanic membrane, with ventilated middle ears and without a history of prolonged otitis media. The transition time of indigo carmine dye from the promontory mucosa to the middle ear orifice of the Eustachian tube (ET) was observed with a rigid 30°, 1.7-mm-diameter tympanoscope. The dye took an average of 7 min (range 4.5–15 min; SD 3.4; median 4.5) to reach the ET orifice in 25 (81 %) patients. Three main ciliary pathways were detected: (1) below and parallel to the tensor tympani muscle; (2) downwards, anterior to the round window, and then ascending to the ET; and (3) straight across the promontory.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Satakunta Central Hospital, Sairaalantie 3, 28500, Pori, Finland

    Jaana H. Ilomäki

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Central Hospital of Åland, Åland, Finland

    T. Karhuketo

  3. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland

    J. P. Vasama, J. Kääriäinen & M. Rautiainen

Authors
  1. Jaana H. Ilomäki
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  2. T. Karhuketo
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  3. J. P. Vasama
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  4. J. Kääriäinen
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  5. M. Rautiainen
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Correspondence to Jaana H. Ilomäki.

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There are no financial or other conflicts of interest related to the present paper for any of the authors.

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Ilomäki, J.H., Karhuketo, T., Vasama, J.P. et al. The endoscopic study of human middle ear mucociliary transport. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 273, 1711–1715 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3730-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-015-3730-6

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