Consensus on treatment of obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction with balloon Eustachian tuboplasty

Abstract

Objective: There is a great variability in diagnosis of obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction and its treatment by balloon Eustachian tuboplasty (BET). The aim of this paper was to present a consensus on indications, contraindications, methodology, complications and results after BET.

Material and methods: We obtained a consensus on BET, after a systematic review of the literature on BET from 1966 to November 2018, using MESH terms «Eustachian tube and (dilation or dysfunction)», including a total of 1.943 papers in Spanish, English, German and French. We selected 139 papers with a relevant abstract, including two international consensuses, seven systematic revisions, and two randomised control trials on BET.

Results: The indications for BET are barotrauma, serous otitis media, adhesive otitis, atelectatic middle ear and failure after tympanoplasty, once obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction is confirmed. BET is more effective in barotrauma and serous otitis media. There are high- evidence reports on BET showing good results that persist long-term, as compared to conservative medical treatment.

Conclusions: BET is a surgical, minimally invasive treatment that has shown its effectiveness and safety in obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction in adults and children. It is most effective in barotrauma and serous otitis media.

Keywords: Balloon Eustachian tuboplasty; Balón tubárico; Dilatación tubárica; Disfunción tubárica crónica; Eustachian tube dysfunction; Timpanometría; Tympanometry; Valsalva.