Fully Coupled Fluid-Structure Interaction Model of Active Eustachian Tube Function

Abstract

The Eustachian Tube (ET) is a collapsible tube that connects the Middle Ear (ME) to the nasopharynx (NP). The ET is responsible for three primary functions: 1) regulation of ME pressure 2) protection of the ME from foreign pathogens and 3) drainage of fluid from the ME. [1] In healthy patients, the ET opens during swallowing because the surrounding tissue is deformed by muscle activity. If the ET fails to open, the ME develops painful sub-ambient pressure and fluid accumulates in the ME. ET dysfunction results in Otitis Media (OM), the most common ME disorder in children. The overall goal of our lab is to identify the mechanisms responsible for ET dysfunction and to develop novel treatments for OM that target the ET.