[Change with aging in eustachian tubal function--eustachian tubal function of normal ears]

Eustachian tubal function was evaluated in two age groups: children aged 4 to 14 years and adults aged 23 to 74 years. The test group of children included 224 normal ears, the test group of adults 106 normal ears. Active opening function was determined by sonotubometric eustachian tubal function testing, which measures the duration of patency of the eustachian tube during swallowing. Passive opening function was determined by tubo-tympanoaerodynamic graphy (TTAG), which measures the naso-pharyngeus pressure when tubal opening is produced by the Valsalva maneuver. 1) The duration of patency of the Eustachian tube during swallowing in children was increased from the age of 8 and was nearly equal to the adult value at the age of 11. As the children got older, the naso-pharyngeus pressure when tubal opening is produced by the Valsalva maneuver increased and was nearly the same as the adult value at the age of 10. From the above, it seems that the pressure opening type Eustachian tubal function in children changes to the muscular opening type tubal function in adults at the age of 10 or 11. 2) The duration of patency of the Eustachian tube during swallowing was shorter in the group older than 60 years. The Valsalva maneuver was higher in the group above age of 50 than in younger adults. These characteristics of the Eustachian tubes of older age groups may be among the causes of adult type serous otitis media, which often occurs in older adults.