Abstract
In nine cats (14 ears), active ventilatory functions were deprived by transecting tensor veli palatini muscles and excising hamulus with administration of 50 mg hydrocortisone on the day of the operations, which was for the purpose of preventing inflammatory effect of the surgical intervention on middle ears and eustachian tubes.
From two to six weeks' observation, OME occurred in only one ear (7.1%) and high negative pressure in only two ears (14.3%). Eight ears showed low negative pressure within-200 mmH2O, three ears ambient pressure. Two of these showed transient positive pressure in their courses.
We concluded that tubal ventilatory dysfunction is not the primary cause of OME but rather a secondary one.
