閉鼻声を伴う耳管開放症の検討

PATULOUS EUSTACHIAN TUBE WITH HYPORHINOLALIA

　I．はじめに

　耳管開放症に閉鼻声を伴う特異な症例の報告はきわめて少ない^2）3）8）。

　われわれは最近このような症例6例を経験したので，耳管機能検査，音声学的検査などにより，この閉鼻声の発現機序の解明を試み，さらに耳管機能に及ぼす頭頸部静脈圧の影響についても考察を加えた。

　Six cases of the patulous Eustachian tube with hyporhinolalia were examined by the tubal function test and phonetic test. Characteristic findings obtained were as follows:

　1) Grade of tubal patency of these 6 cases was not higher than that of cases without hyporhinolalia and this combined disorders occurred frequently in older people.

　2) This hyporhinolalia was found as a protective mechanism which minimized autophony by closing the velopharynx even in nasal sound production.

　3) Immediate change of both tubal patency and rhinolalia by a posture change suggested the effect of venous pressure around the tube on its patency.