The Impact of Hearing Dysfunction Related to Patulous Eustachian Tube
Research type
Research Study
Full title
What is the Impact of Hearing Dysfunction Related to Patulous Eustachian Tube on Hospice Patients with Advanced Cancer?
IRAS ID
238326
Contact name
Holly McGuigan
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Strathcarron Hospice
Duration of Study in the UK
0 years, 2 months, 30 days
Research summary
This project aims to understand how a specific problem with hearing can affect people with cancer.
Normally, the Eustachian tube in the ear is closed and opens sometimes due to the action of muscles. We can also choose to open the tube to equalise pressure e.g. when your ears ‘pop’ on change of altitude in an aeroplane.
A Patulous Eustachian Tube (PET) means that the tube stays open all the time. This can cause hearing problems. We think this problem might be more common in people who have cancer.
All participants will be invited to complete a short questionnaire about their hearing. This questionnaire involves scoring seven items on a scale from 1 to 7.
If the results of the questionnaire suggest that the participant may have the hearing problem we are investigating we will ask them to undergo a test called Tympanometry. This is a test of how well the Eustachian Tube is working.
A few people who participate who are identified to have the problem that we are studying will be asked to take part in a short interview with a doctor. The interviews will be recorded and transcribed to allow us to analyse them for common themes.REC name
West of Scotland REC 3
REC reference
17/WS/0266
Date of REC Opinion
12 Jan 2018
REC opinion
Further Information Favourable Opinion