What Researchers Did
Researchers assessed the incidence and significance of inner and middle ear barotrauma in 30 patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, stratifying them into groups based on their ability to autoinflate their middle ear.
What They Found
They found that 91% (10 of 11) of patients unable to autoinflate suffered middle ear barotrauma, compared to 37% (7 of 19) of those who could autoinflate. A significant decrease in DPOAEs was observed in 27% of autoinflaters and 29% of noninflaters, though this was not linked to audiometry changes.
What This Means for Canadian Patients
Canadian patients undergoing hyperbaric oxygen therapy, especially those with an artificial airway or eustachian tube dysfunction, should discuss prophylactic interventions like pressure-equalizing tubes or myringotomies with their doctor. This can help prevent painful and potentially damaging ear barotrauma during treatment.
Canadian Relevance
This study does not have a direct Canadian connection.
Study Limitations
A limitation of this study is its relatively small sample size of 30 patients, which may affect the generalizability of the findings.