Electromyographic study of patients with dysfunction of the Eustachian tube

In order to determine how often dysfunction of the tube might arise from dysfunction of the tubal muscles, electromyographic examination of the muscles was carried out on 34 patients with occluded or patent tube. Using a monopolar needle electrode inserted through the nose, selective EMG of the tensor and levator veli palatini muscles were picked up during swallowing. It was found that the patients showed neither abnormally reduced nor increased muscle activity. Comparison of muscle activity of the normal tube and of both the occluded and patent tube revealed no significant differences. Therefore, myogenic cause of tubal dysfunction seems improbable from the clinical viewpoint.