Management of patulous eustachian tube with habitual sniffing.

OBJECTIVES

Evaluation of the effect of conservative and surgical treatment in patients with patulous Eustachian tube (PET) associated with habitual sniffing.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective case review.

SETTING

University hospital otolaryngology department.

PATIENTS: Ninety-seven (23.4%) of 414 PET patients were found to have habitual sniffing to alleviate uncomfortable aural symptoms. Of these, 38 PET patients with sniffing habit were selected.

INTERVENTIONS: Conservative intervention included instructions to stop sniffing and nasal instillation of saline. Surgical interventions used ventilation tube (VT) insertion to the eardrum and/or transmyringeal insertion of the PET plug (PEP).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Relief of uncomfortable symptoms and stopping sniffing.

RESULTS

In 52 (53.6%) of the 97 sniff-positive cases, retraction-type eardrum abnormalities or operated ear due to cholesteatoma were identified, whereas normal bilateral eardrums were observed in 34 (87.2%) of 39 sniff (-) cases. Abnormal findings in the eardrum were significantly more common in the sniff-positive group than in the sniff-negative group (p < 0.0001). Twenty-three patients (65.7%) stopped sniffing with conservative treatment. VT insertion was performed in 8 ears. Subsequent PEP was necessary in 2 of the 8 ears because of PET symptoms. PEP was successful in the other 11 ears, including one ear which needed additional VT insertion because of middle ear effusion.

CONCLUSION

The management of habitual sniffing is difficult, but blocking the Eustachian tube by nasal instillation of saline and/or PEP could help PET patients to stop sniffing.