J. Leider et al., THE EFFECT OF SWALLOWING BOLUS AND HEAD POSITION ON EUSTACHIAN-TUBE FUNCTION VIA SONOTUBOMETRY, Otolaryngology and head and neck surgery, 109(1), 1993, pp. 66-70
Eustachian tube function was evaluated by sonotubometry in otologicall
y normal young adults. The purpose of the research was to determine if
the incidence or duration of eustachian tube opening would be altered
with changes in swallowing bolus volume or changes in head rotation.
The subject performed multiple swallows of 10 cc water bolus and dry s
wallows (saliva), with the head in the straight-forward, turned right,
and turned left positions. Both ears were evaluated. The average inci
dence and duration of eustachian tube opening for all swallows was 74%
(398 msec). No significant differences were found with any combinatio
n of bolus type or head position, suggesting that neither liquid bolus
volume nor head rotation need be controlled when sonotubometry is per
formed.