Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the frequency and intensity of auditory tube dysfunction related to obese patients before and after bariatric surgery.
Method: Nineteen patients with a formal indication for bariatric surgery underwent surgery prior to a hearing evaluation (otoscopy, tonal and vocal audiometry, and impedanciometry) and a questionnaire on hearing; and in 3 and 6 months after surgery. Patients with disease or a history of ear surgery were excluded.
Results: We found that 5 (26.3%) patients showed symptoms related to dysfunction of the Eustachian tube at the first postoperative evaluation. After 6 months of follow-up, 9 (47.3%) patients presented symptoms of tubal dysfunction.
Conclusion: This study suggests that bariatric surgery can cause symptoms of Eustachian tube dysfunction, probably due to rapid weight loss and the consequent loss of peritubal fat.
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