Abstract
A volumetric method (Boyle's law) was used to measure the middle ear volumes of 104 patients with middle ear diseases.
Regression lines between middle ear volumes and X-ray middle ear areas were caliculated (y=0.93x-0.92) in eight cases of traumatic eardrum perforation.
Average middle ear volumes were 12.00cc in traumatic eardrum perforations, 7.48cc in otitis media chronica (OMG) with good aeration of the mastoids, 3.60cc in OMG with poor aeration of the the mastoids and 2.92cc in retraction pockets.
Mastoid volumes tended to increase until 60-70 days after ventilating tube insertion in patients with otitis media with effusion (OME).
We concluded that volumetric measurement of middle ear volume is clinically useful in assessing the pathophysiology of middle ear diseases and for the better choice of operative procedures in patients with OMG, and also in assessing the ventilation of the entire mastoid cavity in patinets with OME.
