Research On Electromyography Of Tensor Veli Palatini In Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma Post-Irradiation Patients With Secretory Otitis Media

Objective: To explore the characteristic of electromyography (EMG) of tensor veli palatine (TVP) in nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) post-irradiation patients with secretory otitis media (SOM).Methods: A total of 20 in NPC post-irradiation patients with SOM during September, 2007 to December, 2008 were studied. All of the patients were examed by audiometric and acoustic immitance tests, taken pictures of eardrum, nasopharynx, and ostium pharyngeum tubae auditoriae through nasopharyngo- scope. After the nasal cavities of the patients were decongested and topically anesthetized, the specially designed concentric needle electrode was inserted into bilateral site of the TVP under the guidance of nasopharyngoscope and connected to BL-420E+ Biotic Function Examination System. And then all the patients were asked to perform liquid swallowing, the EMG of TVP was recorded and analyzed the data subsequently.Result: 1. The Motor Unit Potential (MUP) duration, amplitude and the contraction activity lasting in swallowing, peak amplitude in the SOM diseased ear group and the healthy ear group are less than those of the normal control group (P<0.01). 2. The contraction activity lasting in swallowing and the MUP duration in the SOM diseased ear group are less than the healthy ear group (P<0.05). No statistically significant differences were found in the MUP amplitude and the contraction peak amplitude's comparison between the SOM diseased ear group and the healthy ear group.3. The EMG of SOM diseased group show that short duration, low amplitude and pathological interference pattern or mixed pattern, which indicate damage of muscular source, not found the typical EMG of nerval damage.4. The synchronous contraction of one side is consistent with the other side basically..5. The SOM diseased ears that the EMG has been collected are eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction in initiative and passive opening.Conclusion: 1. The EMG of TVP in NPC post-irradiation patients with SOM indicate damage of muscular source.2. The damage of TVP in NPC post-irradiation patients with SOM is major muscular source.3. The function of ET of major patients (25/32) in NPC post-irradiation patients with SOM shows initiative and passive opening.