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Changes in symptoms of Eustachian tube dysfunction after nasal surgery

  • Rhinology
  • Published:
European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose

To investigate the effects of nasal surgery including endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS) and/or septoplasty on Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) symptoms using the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire 7 (ETDQ-7).

Methods

Patients who underwent ESS and/or septoplasty between April 2020 and October 2021 were retrospective reviewed. The patients were divided into 3 groups according to the type of surgery: group A, septoplasty alone (76 patients); group B, ESS alone (209 patients); and group C, septoplasty + ESS (74 patients). Responses to the ETDQ-7, SNOT-22, and NOSE questionnaires were collected preoperatively and at 3 months after surgery and compared between groups.

Results

A total of 359 patients were included in the study. The prevalence of ETD was 28.9% (22 patients) in group A, 27.3% (57 patients) in group B, and 31.1% (23 patients) in group C. The ETDQ-7 score decreased significantly after surgery: total patient population, 12.47 ± 7.0 to 8.2 ± 2.48 (p < 0.001); group A, 12.76 ± 6.62 to 8.47 ± 2.66 (p < 0.001); group B, 12.05 ± 6.89 to 8.35 ± 2.73 (p < 0.001); and group C, 13.24 ± 7.72 to 7.55 ± 1.25 (p < 0.001). Both SNOT-22 and NOSE scores also decreased significantly after surgery in the total patient population and in all three groups. There was a strong correlation between ETDQ-7 and SNOT-22 scores (r = 0.56, p < 0.001) and a moderate correlation between ETDQ-7 and NOSE scores (r = 0.33, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Patients with CRS and/or NSD suffered from ETD, and showed significant improvement after surgery. In addition, ETD symptoms were shown to be affected by nasal obstruction as well as CRS symptoms.

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All data files are available from the figureshare database without limitations. (https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.19204049).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chuncheon Sacred Heart Hospital, Hallym University College of Medicine, Chuncheon, Republic of Korea

    Il Hwan Lee

  2. Department of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Banpo-daero 222, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-701, Republic of Korea

    Do Hyun Kim, Sung Won Kim & Soo Whan Kim

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Correspondence to Soo Whan Kim.

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Ethical approval

This study and the associated chart review were approved by the Institutional Review Board of the Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine (approval no. KC21RISI0135).

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Lee, I.H., Kim, D.H., Kim, S.W. et al. Changes in symptoms of Eustachian tube dysfunction after nasal surgery. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 279, 5017–5023 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07344-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-022-07344-4

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