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Video pneumatic otoscopy for the diagnosis of otitis media with effusion: a quantitative approach

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology volume 266, pages 967–973 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Pneumatic otoscopy is most helpful for optimally assessing the presence of a middle ear effusion (MEE). To evaluate the diagnostic usefulness and to obtain objective parameters of video pneumatic otoscope (VPO) in ears with MEE, we measured the minimal and maximal pressures in the external auditory canal and recorded the movement of the tympanic membrane (TM) during VPO in 28 ears with MEE and 13 healthy ears. The movements of the TM at static stage, positive and negative pressure stages of VPO were analyzed in terms of the position of the umbo and the angle and length of the malleus. The percent volume of air space out of the total tympanomastoid air cell system (the air index) was obtained from the temporal bone CT, and was used as a reference standard. As a result, minimal pressure and the movement of the umbo from negative pressure stage in ears with MEE were significantly different from the normal ears. The minimal pressure, maximal pressure and the movement of umbo from negative pressure to static stage were significantly correlated with the air index. These results may suggest useful parameters for quantitative analysis of VPO for the visual diagnosis of MEE.

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Acknowledgments

This work has been supported by the Samsung Medical Center Clinical Research Development Program grant, # CRS 104-46-2. We thank Mr. Hyuknam Kwon for his invaluable assistance in setting up pressure measurement equipments.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, 50, Ilwon-dong, Kangnam-gu, Seoul, South Korea

    Yang-Sun Cho, Dong-Kyung Lee & Moon Hee Ko

  2. Chonnan Hospital, Sunchunhyang University, Chonnan, Asan, South Korea

    Chi-Kyou Lee

  3. Pundang Jesaeng Hospital, Daejin Medical Center, Seongnam, South Korea

    Hyun-Seok Lee

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  1. Yang-Sun Cho
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  2. Dong-Kyung Lee
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  3. Chi-Kyou Lee
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  4. Moon Hee Ko
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Correspondence to Yang-Sun Cho.

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Cho, YS., Lee, DK., Lee, CK. et al. Video pneumatic otoscopy for the diagnosis of otitis media with effusion: a quantitative approach. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 266, 967–973 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0839-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0839-x

Keywords

  • Otitis media with effusion
  • Pneumatic otoscopy
  • Diagnosis