Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-26T16:33:43.743Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The influence of nitrous oxide anaesthetic on middle-ear fluid*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 June 2007

James O. Shaw ,
Earl W. Stark  and
Stephen D. Gannaway
James O. Shaw
Affiliation:
Joliet, Illinois
Earl W. Stark*
Affiliation:
Champaign, Illinois
Stephen D. Gannaway
Affiliation:
Champaign, Illinois
*
Earl W. Stark, Ph.D., University of Illinois, Hearing Clinic, 901 South 6th Street, Champaign, Illinois 61820.
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

NITROUS OXIDE anaesthesia invades the middle-ear cavity, resulting in a positive pressure within this cavity. It has been suggested that the pressure may be sufficient to force open the Eustachian tube and evacuate fluid from the middle ear. This study examined the possible influence of nitrous oxide on middle-ear fluid. Pre- and intra-operative tympanograms were obtained on 39 children scheduled for myringotomy surgery. Fluid was found in 83-1 per cent of the operated ears while the absence of fluid was noted in 16-9 per cent. It is possible that the nitrous oxide anaesthetic did cause an evacuation of fluid from this latter group of ears prior to actual surgery.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 92 , Issue 2 , February 1978 , pp. 131 - 135
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Footnotes

*

From the Joliet Audio Vestibular Laboratories, Inc., Joliet, Illinois,

References

Rasmussen, P. (1967) Acta Otolaryngologica, 63, 7–16.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Starr, A., and Schwartzkroin, P. (1972) Journal of Acoustical Society of America, 51, 1367–1369.Google Scholar
Thompsen, K., Terkildsen, K., and Arnfred, I. (1965) Archives of Otolaryngalogv. 82, 609–611.Google Scholar