[Changes in the middle ear mucosa of the Wistar rat after experimental resection and obstruction of the eustachian tube].

Eustachian tube (ET) disfunction, alone or combined with other factors, is the main source of middle ear pathogenesis and can lead to other physiopathological events that originate disease (serous otitis media, adhesive otitis, cholesteatoma). In seven Wistar rats (study group), experimental mechanical obstruction of the left Eustachian tube was performed. Using an anterior cervical incision, the osteocartilaginous junction of the ET was severed and obliterated with a bit of muscle in order to prevent rechanneling. After a period of six months, the middle ear mucosa was removed for histological study. Comparisons were made of the experimental ear and the opposite ear, as well as the ears of three rats in the control group. We compared our findings with those of other authors and reviewed experimental animal models of serous otitis media and cholesteatoma that have been used to study the influence of ET in middle ear disease.