Background: The Eustachian tube is a tube that links the nasopharynx to the middle ear. It is a part of the middle ear. In adult humans the Eustachian tube is approximately 35 mm (1.4 in) long. The Eustachian tube extends from the anterior wall of the middle ear to the lateral wall of the nasopharynx. It aerates the middle ear system and clears mucus from the middle ear into the nasopharynx.
Objective: The aim of this study is to know importance of eustachian tube function assessment in tympanoplasty in children.
Patients and methods: This study included thirty patients selected from the Outpatient Clinic, ENT Department, Faculty of Medicine, Al-Azhar University, Alahrar Teaching Hospital. All the patients had tubotympanic type of chronic suppurative otitis media with central perforation for at least 3 weeks without any other external ear, middle ear or inner ear diseases.
Results: Graft was taken in 23 patients (76.7%). In our study, there is statistically significant increase in number of patients attaining good Eustachian tube function, thirteen patients had preoperative good ETF versus 23 ones postoperatively. There are statistically non-significant relations between patient gender and preoperative and postoperative ETF.
Conclusion: We can conclude that there is a strong association between ETF and graft uptake. This proves that eustachian tube plays a major role in the graft uptake. In case of CSOM with totally impaired ETF patients, cortical mastoidectomy has been done to improve ventilation.