Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is one of the important aetiological factor in cholesteatoma and retraction and ETD has been linked to pathology in cartilaginous portion more often than bony portion. Study was undertaken to evaluate pharyngeal opening of eustachean tube (ET) in these cases and pharyngeal opening was divided in five types.

One hundred sixteen patients (58 each pathology) were selected and nasal endoscopy was done.

Normal pharyngeal opening was found in 62.06% and 39.65% subjects in cholesteatoma and retractionrespectively.Pathological ET opening was seen in 37.93%subjects of cholesteatoma and 60.34% cases of retraction which was statistically significant (p<0.001).Hence all cases of chronic otitis media must undergo nasal endoscopy to observe and treat the pathology in nose, nasopharynx and ET.