Comparative evaluation of The Eustachian tube in Iraqi individuals with cleft lip and palate and those without: A CBCT analysis.

PURPOSE: To contrast Iraqi patients with unilateral cleft lip and palate (UCLP) with healthy controls and pinpoint any variations in the structural characteristics of the Eustachian tube (ET).

METHODS

The CBCT used to scan a total of 100 participants, ranging in age from 13 to 40. Of those, 19 men and 31 women had ULCP, while 23 men and 27 women did not. The axial view was used to assess the auditory tube angle (ATA), ET diameter (ETD), and ET length (ETL). A P-value less than 0.05 was selected as the significant measure in the statistical analysis using SPSS version 25.

RESULTS

The study highlighted that patients with ULCP had considerably lower ETL (26.04mm), a narrower ETD (2.38mm), and a bigger ATA (144.47°) compared to the control group (29.46mm, 2.79mm, and 133.09°, respectively). In addition, the ET variables showed a strong and statistically significant association between the study groups (r=0.897 [ETL], 0.976 [ETD], and 0.964 [ATA], P<0.05).

CONCLUSION

Patients with UCLP and controls showed substantial differences in the ET's dimensions and ATA. The study appreciated the use of CBCT to examine the ET's structural properties.