耳管開放症に対する薬物療法の試み

―加味帰脾湯の使用経験―

抄録

Patulous eustachian tube (PET) is not an uncommon disease. Drugs are seldom used for PET treatment. The purpose of this study was not to evaluate the usefulness of the Chinese medicine “Kami-Kihi-To” for PET, but to call attention to the possibility of drug therapy for PET.
The diagnosis of PET is made from its symptoms and abnormal tympanic membrane movement during hyperventilation detected with impedance audiometry.
“Kami-Kihi-To” was administered to 88 patients, and 66 of whom questioned subjective symptoms, and 24 of whom were evaluated objectively by impedance audiometry. Complete relief was achieved in 36 patients (54.5%) treated with “Kami-Kihi-To”, and 14 patients (21.2%) obtained partial relief. There was objective evidence of complete improvement of tympanic membrane movement in eight patients (33.3%), and partial improvement in nine patients (37.5%). Side effect were noted in three patients (4.5%).
These results suggest that drug therapy for PET is possible.