Korean J Otolaryngol-Head Neck Surg.  2000 Mar;43(3):272-275.

Effect of iontophoresis anesthesia of the tympanic membrane on middle ear pressure

• Kim YS
• Park SH
• Lee JW
• Song TH
• Cha YJ
• Lee BD
• Chang HS
• Kang JW

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES:The presence of encapsulated nerve corpuscles that is involved in regulating middle ear pressure has been noticed in previous studies. Based on those findings, how the sensory receptors in the tympanic membrane and tubal function are related was tested in the present study.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
Tubal function was tested by 9 step test using Grason-Stadler institute(GSI) Middle ear analyzer II Eustachian tube function(ETF) test mode. Tubal function was recorded as compliance of the tympanic membrane on an otoadmittance meter. To anesthetize the sensory receptors in the tympanic membrane, iontophoresis was applied to the twenty right ears of the twenty subjects.
RESULTS
Peak pressure difference in the middle ear was reduced after the tympanic membrane (TM) anesthesia, which indicates that the tubal function has decreased due to pressure change in the sensory receptors in the tympanic membrane.
CONCLUSION
The findings of the present study suggest that there may be a neural connection between the sensory receptors in the tympanic membrane and the tubal muscle, as the eustachian tube function changed following the TM anesthesia.

Keyword

Tympanic membrane; Sensory innervation; Anesthesia; Eustachian tube function

MeSH Terms

Anesthesia*
Compliance
Ear
Ear, Middle*
Eustachian Tube
Exercise Test
Iontophoresis*
Sensory Receptor Cells
Tympanic Membrane*