Abstract: To estimate the value of salpingocatheterism to treat secretory otitis media (SOM) in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) after radiotherapy. Methods:The curative effects were analyzed in 106 SOM patients (112 ears) with NPC after radiotherapy by using salpingocatheterism under nasal endoscopic visualization and tympanal retention catheter and intratympanic application of medicine through the eustachian tube. Results: All patients had hearing impairment , tinnitus and blocked feeling, and acoustic immittance test showed that 112 (100%) ears had “Type B” tympanogram. For tinnitus treatment , complete response was found in 81 ears (72.32%), partial response in 25 (22.32%), and no response in 6(5.36%). For blocked feeling, the result was 92(82.14%),18(16.07%), and 2(1.79%) respectively. The total response rate for the above two symptoms was 94.64% and 98.21% respectively. There was no otorrhea. The acoustic immittance test showed “Type A”, “Type As”, “Type B” and “Type C" tympanogran were in 56 ears(50%), 42 (37.50%), 2 (1.79%) and 12 (10.71%), respectively. The mean of 0.5kHz,1?kHz, 2?kHz of puretone hearing thresholds was (28.5±3.0)dBHL, but before treatment it was (47.0±5.0)dBHL. Conclusion: The salpingocatheterism is very effective and practicable to treat SOM in patients with NPC after radiotherapy by supporting and enlarging the eustachian tube.

Key words: Otitis media with effusion, Salpingocatheterism, Nasopharyngeal neoplasms, Radiotherapy