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. 2013 Mar;270(3):1157-60.
doi: 10.1007/s00405-012-2243-9. Epub 2012 Nov 8.

Clinical evaluation of balloon dilation Eustachian tuboplasty in the Eustachian tube dysfunction

Dariusz Jurkiewicz  1 , Dominik Bień, Kornel Szczygielski, Ireneusz Kantor
Affiliations

Clinical evaluation of balloon dilation Eustachian tuboplasty in the Eustachian tube dysfunction

Dariusz Jurkiewicz et al. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol. 2013 Mar.

Abstract

The development of minimally invasive procedures such as the balloon dilation Eustachian tuboplasty (BET) is an alternative to the grommet tympanum membrane. BET is applied in the cases where, after elimination of all factors influencing the ET and middle ear functioning, no sufficient improvement is observed. The aim of this study was to present the therapeutic benefits of the BET method in the treatment of ETD caused by disorders in the middle ear ventilation. The BET procedure was offered to four patients (3 men and 1 woman) after subjective, physical, otorhinolaryngological and audiometric examinations including pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and pressure-swallow test. As the method was novel, preinterventional CT angiography of the carotid arteries was performed in all patients. Any complications were noticed during and after the procedure (bleeding or damage of regional mucosa) in any patients. Our clinical studies assessed the feasibility and safety of the BET during a short-term period--only a 6-week observation. Although patients revealed a significant improvement of ET score, longer long-term studies are necessary to determine whether this method will demonstrate lasting benefits and safety in the treatment of chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction. In other investigations, improvement was found to be time dependent.

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Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
The balloon catheter was pushed 2 cm into the ET. After the balloon had been positioned correctly, the dilation was applied to a pressure of 10 bars for 2 min (using saline solution)
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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