In a group of 39 patients with epitympanic chronic inflammation the results of the preoperative tympanometric examination by Valsalva™s and Toynbee™s tests were followed up with regard to the ratio of different types of sanitary reconstruction operations and peroperative findings. For assessment of the functional results the authors compared the preoperative and postoperative audiometric findings. The investigation revealed within the framework of systematic tympanometric preoperative exa- mination in epitympanic otitis 74% tubal obstructions. Despite this adverse functional finding the tympanoossiculoplasty was performed in one stage and was successful as far as improvement or preservation of the auditory threshold at the preoperative level in 73% of the patients. A large percentage of tubal obstructions during the preoperative examination does not correlate with the clinical finding and proves inaccurate in epitympanic inflammations. From the prognostic aspect epitympanic otitis with a cholesteatoma and in tubal obstructions have the greatest chance while the chance is lowest in suppurative epitympanic otitis. It is expedient to complete the reconstruction operation after sanitation in epitympanic inflammations in one stage also in case of tubal obstruc- tion.

        Key words: epitympanic chronic inflammations, tubal functions, tympanoplasty.