Treatment Of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Research Articles

Fluoroscopy-guided balloon dilation in patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction.

To prospectively evaluate the technical feasibility and safety of fluoroscopy-guided balloon dilation in patients with Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction. Patients who could not do a Valsalva manoeuvre for more than 6 months and diagnosed with chronic otitis media or ET dysfunction were prospectively enrolled. A 0.035-in. guide wire and 6-mm long balloon catheter with a diameter of 2 mm were used to dilate the cartilaginous portion of the ET under fluoroscopic guidance. The balloon was inflated by manual injection twice for 1 min each time. Clinical outcomes were assessed by the patient's ability to perform a Valsalva manoeuvre, and symptoms were assessed using the 7-item Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7) score. Balloon dilation was attempted in a total of ten adult patients from October 2016 to March 2017. Technical success was achieved in all procedures (10/10). Ninety percent (9/10) of the balloons were fully dilated without waist deformity. There were no major complications. All patients were able to perform a Valsalva manoeuvre at the time of their last visit and/or improvement of at least one ETDQ-7 score. Fluoroscopy-guided balloon dilation seems to be technically feasible and safe in the treatment of ET dysfunction. • Fluoroscopy-guided balloon dilation without general anaesthesia was well-tolerated in all patients. • Location of the balloon catheter can be monitored during the procedure. • Inflation state of the balloon catheter can be monitored during the procedure. • Using guide-wire during the procedure would prevent false passage creation. • All patients had clinical improvement within 3 months after balloon dilation.

Treatment of Eustachian tube dysfunction with balloon dilation: A systematic review.

Balloon dilation is a new entity in the therapeutic approach of Eustachian tube dysfunction. The aim of this systematic review is to evaluate the success of balloon dilation of the tuba auditiva in reducing symptoms in adult patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction. Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. The systematic literature search was conducted independently by two authors based on title and abstracts, and resulted in 36 articles. These articles were screened as full text, 15 of them were eligible for critical appraisal. Data were extracted from selected studies and presented in this article. A meta-analysis was conducted for four subgroups. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement was used as a writing guideline for this systematic review. All 15 included studies were case series. A total of 1,155 patients were treated with balloon dilation of the tuba auditiva. Outcome parameters were relief of symptoms, otoscopy, Valsalva maneuver or Toynbee test, audiometry, tympanometry, Eustachian tube dysfunction classification, and Eustachian tube score. All articles showed short-term improvement of original symptoms; some showed further improvement over time. Follow-up ranged from just after therapy to 50 months. Relatively mild and self-limiting complications were described in 36 patients. All current studies suggest that balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube can be a helpful treatment in patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction. However, placebo controlled trials are still warranted. Laryngoscope, 128:237-247, 2018.

Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty in children.

Endonasal ballon dilatation of the Eustachian tube (BET) is a promising treatment for Eustachian tube dysfunction with encouraging results over the last years in adults. In addition, in children, single studies demonstrated promising results, but revealed the necessity for broader and additional studies. Our retrospective analysis presents outcomes with BET in children with chronic obstructive dysfunction of the Eustachian tube, showing resistance to the conventional therapy after adenotomy with paracentesis or grommets (ventilation tubes). The data of 52 children, having undergone BET from April 2011 to April 2016, were retrospectively evaluated. Most children in our study presented middle ear effusion (47%), adhesive (21%), chronic otitis media (13%), or recurrent acute otitis media (11%). In 24 (37%) children, we combined BET with a paracentesis, in 5 (8%) patients with a tympanoplasty type I and in 3 (5%) patients with a type III. All children were assessed using an audiogram, tympanometry, and tubomanometry (50mbar) before and after BET. In addition, we evaluated the results of the Lübecker questionnaire, which we performed before and after BET. The childrens' ear-related and quality of life-related symptoms, such as pressure equalization, ear pressure, hearing loss, pain and limitation in daily life, and satisfaction pre- and postoperatively, were analyzed. In the majority of patients, we could see an improvement in the ear pressure, hearing loss, limitation in daily life, and satisfaction with recurrent inflammations, underlined by better outcomes in the tubomanometry and the tympanogram. BET in children is a safe, efficient, and promising method to treat chronic tube dysfunction, especially as a second line treatment, when adenotomy, paracentesis, or grommets failed before.

Laser Eustachian Tuboplasty for Eustachian Tube Dysfunction: a case series review.

The authors reviewed the literature regarding the safety and efficacy of Laser Eustachian Tuboplasty (LETP) in the treatment of Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). Medline via Pubmed, OvidSP and Science Direct were consulted, with a supplementary manual review of citations. English language case series constituted a baseline for inclusion. Primary outcome measures were pre- and post-operative tympanometry, otoscopy findings, subjective symptoms and pure tone audiometry, and findings were stratified into short term (≤6months) and long term (>6months-5years). Eight unique case series were identified, detailing LETP procedures in 306 patients (462 Eustachian tubes). LETP demonstrated mixed short-term and positive long-term results across primary outcome measures. There was an overall complication rate of ≈4.4%, and no major adverse events were reported. Poor documentation of pre- and post-operative primary outcome measures and inter-study outcome heterogeneity prevents substantive comment on efficacy. Whilst LETP is safe, its use should remain limited to research in adults. Future trials should be casecontrolled, and detail pre- and post-operative tympanometry, otoscopy findings, subjective symptoms, and pure tone audiometry. Patients should also be stratified into those suffering from baro-challenge induced ETD, and those suffering from ETD with intractable sequelae, such as Chronic Otitis Media.

Middle Ear Pressure Changes during Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty.

Objective Balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) has entered clinical use as a treatment for eustachian tube dysfunction. Some surgeons perform myringotomy prior to BET due to concerns that the increase in middle ear (ME) pressure caused by BET may cause otic barotrauma. We investigated the ME pressure changes occurring during BET in cadavers. Study design Human cadaver investigation of a surgical technique Setting Laboratory study at a tertiary referral center. Subjects and Methods ME pressures were recorded from fresh-frozen cadavers, and BET was performed with the Bielefeld balloon catheter inflated to 10 bar. Peak ME pressures were recorded during catheter insertion, inflation, deflation, and removal. A second pressure measurement was taken 15 seconds after each stage to assess the residual pressures. All BET procedures were repeated at least once. Where transmastoid recordings were made, BET was repeated, measuring pressure via a myringotomy to ensure equivalence. Results Data from 25 procedures in 13 ears (9 heads) were analyzed. A consistent pattern of ME pressure change was observed in all cases. Positive pressures occurred on insertion (maximum, 26 daPa) and inflation (maximum, 99 daPa) and negative pressures on deflation (maximum, -46 daPa) and removal (maximum, -42 daPa). There were no significant pressure differences between first and second procedures, except at 15 seconds after insertion ( P = .04). Conclusion In adult cadaveric specimens, BET induces ME pressures within the normal physiologic range. On this basis, routine myringotomy prior to BET in adults is not necessary.

What is New in Otology (R814): Intranasal surfactant treatment for Eustachian tube dysfunction and Otitis Media

What is New in Otology (R814): Intranasal surfactant treatment for Eustachian tube dysfunction and Otitis Media

Efficacy of balloon dilation in the treatment of symptomatic Eustachian tube dysfunction: One year follow-up study

PurposeEustachian tube balloon dilation (ETBD) has been recently described as feasible treatment for patients with refractory Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ETBD in the treatment of symptomatic Eustachian tube dysfunction (SETD) by subjective and objective analysis. Materials and methodsForty patients who underwent ETBD were included in the study. Subjects’ inclusion criteria were as follows: symptoms of ETD (aural fullness predominantly, with or without otalgia, muffle hearing and tinnitus), normal tympanic membrane, type A or C tympanograms, and without a history of any middle ear diseases. Main outcomes including subjective improvement, otoscopy, pure-tone audiometry, impedance audiometry, R-value in tubomanometry (TMM) at three pressure measurements (30, 40, and 50mbar), Eustachian Tube Score (ETS) and the ability to perform a Valsalva maneuver were assessed preoperatively, 1week, 3months and 12months postoperatively. ResultsAll cases were dilated successfully. A significant effect of treatment was documented when measuring subjective improvement, impedance audiometry, R-value in TMM, ETS and the ability to perform a Valsalva maneuver 1week, 3months and 12month postoperatively. Subjective symptoms were not relieved only in one patient. The overall success rate for all patients was 98%. ConclusionsETBD can provide both short- and long-term benefits to those who are diagnosed SETD and refractory to medical management. SETD might be an optimal indication for ETBD in the treatment of ETD.

Does balloon dilatation represent a breakthrough for Eustachian tube disorders – even in children?

Balloon dilatation is a promising new treatment for Eustachian tube dysfunction which is becoming more and more popular in Germany. There are a number of single publications and even meta-analyses on this topic, which demonstrate good results but also reveal the need for better studies. Initially tube dilatation was applied only in adults with tube dysfunctions but recently some centers even recommend it for children with long-lasting or frequently recurring middle ear effusion, which is resistant to conventional therapy. This article provides a critical appraisal based on the current literature and emphasizes the need for controlled studies. Due to the poor definition of tube dysfunctions it may be difficult to establish informative studies but in terms of evidence-based medicine there is need for a precise definition of indications and inclusion criteria. Most important is that such studies must include control groups, which has so far not been the case. Moreover, there should be a consensus about the criteria for defining success. Although all publications claim that balloon tuboplasty is a safe method, the question whether or not preoperative computed tomography (CT) scans are needed should be considered in each individual case. Nevertheless, balloon dilatation is a very promising method offering a new approach to the problem of Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube: early outcome analysis.

To assess Eustachian tube balloon dilation in the treatment of Eustachian tube dysfunction by objective analysis, especially tubomanometry. Retrospective cohort study. Tertiary referral hospital. Patients undergoing Eustachian tube balloon dilation for treatment of Eustachian tube dysfunction. Eustachian tube balloon dilation. Subjective improvement, otomicroscopic findings, tympanogram, air-bone gap in pure-tone audiogram, R-value in tubomanometry at three pressure measurements (30, 40, and 50 mbar) and the Eustachian Tube Score (ETS). Eustachian tube balloon dilation was performed in 21 patients. The Eustachian Tube Score including the R-values, tympanogram, and air-bone gap all showed a statistically positive outcome (p < 0.005) after Eustachian tube balloon dilation. Subjective improvement was seen in 76%. Normal R-values were achieved in 57%. Retraction processes of the tympanic membrane improved in 18% of patients. Only one minor bleeding complication occurred. Eustachian tube balloon dilation constitutes a safe and very promising treatment option for patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction based on early-outcome analysis. ETS and specifically tubomanometry appear promising as assessment tools but await validation for use in the diagnostic workup and outcome analysis after ETBD. The pathophysiologic mechanism of Eustachian tube balloon dilation remains unclear. Long-term analysis and stratification of patients are needed to better evaluate the definite value of Eustachian tube balloon dilation.

Shunt treatment for eustachian tube dysfunction

Shunt treatment for eustachian tube dysfunction

Rationale and Feasibility of Intranasal Delivery of Drugs to the Eustachian Tube Orifice

Intranasal medication for eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is an established practice in otolaryngology through the effects of steroids, decongestants, antihistamines or a combination of the above in reducing tubal oedema. The author has previously argued that a double-blind, randomised control trial would be helpful in determining effectiveness of treatment, if a standardised head position, chiefly Mygind or Ragan, was adopted to maximise intranasal drop delivery into the eustachian tube orifice. One recent paper suggests that intranasal treatment is not very effective, but ultimately does not state whether a standardised head position was adopted. Although a large body of evidence supports the hypothesis that the nasal passages are the route to middle ear disease, there is as yet no paper that has been published that has specifically addressed this issue, therefore the author must conclude that evidence to support intranasal treatment for ETD is still lacking and further research is desirable.

Long‐term Outcomes and Reliability of Jahn Ventilating Tube

Objective: The Jahn ventilating tube (JVT) is an osseointegrated middle ear ventilating tube that is used internationally in the treatment of Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). Little long-term data exists quantifying the functions and complications of this device. This study aims to assess the long-term outcomes with use of the JVT. Method: Retrospective chart review of 22 patients (24 ears) with ETD managed with JVT (1994-2008) with at least 3 years of follow-up, or documented JVT failure at any time point. Main outcome measures were duration of patency, time to extrusion, middle ear aeration, audiogram, Sade score, and complication rate. Results: Twelve out of 24 JVTs were patent at last follow-up. Mean duration of retention of a patent tube was 6 years. Aeration of the middle ear with a patent JVT was excellent, with mean Sade score at last visit of 1.08. Mean improvement in air bone gap between the preoperative and last visit was 3 dB. Twelve out of 24 JVTs extruded during the study period. The mean time to extrusion was 21 months. There was no difference in age at insertion between the 2 groups ( P = .113). Two complications were identified, which were persistent tympanic membrane perforations. Conclusion: JVTs are a safe alternative to traditional pressure equalization tubes. When successful, they can establish a well-aerated middle ear for extended periods of time. However, early extrusion undermines reliability.

Eustachian tube function in patients with Meniere's disease

Objective The aim of the present study was to clarify the relationship between Eustachian tube function and inner ear function, especially with respect to the hearing ability of patients with Meniere's disease. Methods Patients with Meniere's disease underwent nystagmic examinations and audiometric measurements, including hearing tests, tympanometry, and Eustachian tube function tests (sonotubometry). We compared the audiometric examination results of normal subjects to those of patients with Meniere's disease. Results Twenty-five percent of patients with Meniere's disease exhibited Eustachian tube dysfunction, but 92% displayed normal tympanometry findings. Their sonotubometry durations and amplitudes were not significantly different from those of normal subjects. However, the patients’ hearing level was significantly correlated to sonotubometry duration and amplitude. Our patients were classified according to the four stages of Meniere's disease: stage 1 ( n = 9); stage 2 ( n = 5); stage 3 ( n = 8); and stage 4 ( n = 2). The incidence of Eustachian tube dysfunction in these four groups of patients were 0% (0/9); 40% (2/5); 38% (3/8); and 50% (1/2), respectively. Conclusion Our study provides evidence demonstrating that treatment of Eustachian tube dysfunction may be useful in preventing the hearing of Meniere's patients from becoming worse.

Cross-hatching: A novel technique for Eustachian tuboplasty. Preliminary report

Objective To evaluate laser-assisted cross-hatching technique for treatment of patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction. Study Design Prospective, institutional review board-approved surgical trial. Setting Tertiary care medical center. Subjects and Methods A total of 25 patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction underwent laser Eustachian tuboplasty with cross-hatching technique (CHT). Surgery involved use of the argon laser to cross-hatch the posterior cushion to modify the curvature of the cartilage of the posterior cushion and to alter the spring of the cartilage to make it wider and larger, thereby alleviating the obstructive dysfunction of the tube. None of the patients had any concurrent disease or surgical procedure. Results There were no surgical complications. Following CHT, subjective symptoms of an ear blockage improved in 23 of 25 (92%) patients. Posterior cushion curvature became softer and wider, and the valve appeared more open postoperatively on simple endoscopy (SE) and slow motion video endoscopic analysis (SMVEA). Mean pure-tone average improved by 10 dB (30 dB preoperatively vs 20 dB postoperatively; P = 0.015). Abnormal tympanogram improved in 24 of 25 (96%) patients. Failure of the procedure correlated with severity of cartilage deformation and valve obstruction as measured by both SE and SMVEA. Mean follow-up was 15 months (range 3-37 months). Conclusion Cross-hatching technique for Eustachian tuboplasty appears to be a safe and useful technique for treatment of Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Microdebrider eustachian tuboplasty: A preliminary report

To evaluate microdebrider eustachian tuboplasty for treatment of patients with eustachian tube dysfunction. A prospective study of 20 patients with eustachian tube dysfunction who underwent microdebrider eustachian tuboplasty (mETP) was performed at an academic medical center. Surgery involved use of a microdebrider to remove hypertrophied mucosa from the posterior eustachian tube cushion. All patients had concurrent sinonasal disease and underwent endoscopic sinus surgery at the time of mETP. There were no surgical complications. Following mETP, subjective symptoms of ear blockage improved in 14 of 20 patients (70%). Mean pure tone average improved by 6 dB (27 dB pre-op vs 21 dB post-op; P = 0.013). Abnormal tympanogram improved in 11 of 17 patients (65%). Failure of the procedure correlated with severity of mucosal disease as measured by both elevated tissue eosinophil count and advanced sinus CT stage (P = 0.018 and P = 0.014, respectively). Mean follow-up was 13 months (range 3-34 months). Microdebrider eustachian tuboplasty appears to be a safe procedure for the treatment of eustachian tube dysfunction.

Preapplication of mitomycin C for enhanced patency of myringotomy

Objectives : Ventilation tubes are the mainstay of surgical treatment for eustachian tube dysfunction and have been used successfully for many years. Certain disadvantages of ventilation tubes, however, have prompted research into alternative techniques including laser myringotomy. We investigated the use of KTP laser myringotomy in conjunction with topical mitomycin C to delay healing and prolong the patency of the myringotomy. Methods : Twenty myringotomies were created in 10 Sprague-Dawley rats. A solution of mitomycin C was applied to the intact tympanic membrane for 15 minutes. The solution was then suctioned free, and a myringotomy was created with a KTP laser. Fifty-three rats with saline application serving as controls from a previous study were used to allow statistical assessment. Results : The myringotomies remained open for a median of 9.5 weeks. Control myringotomies, which received saline solution instead of mitomycin C, healed within a median of 1.5 weeks. The difference was statistically significant at P < 0.0001. No complications were noted. Conclusion : Topically administered mitomycin C before laser myringotomy is effective in prolonging the patency of laser myringotomies in rats. The patency rate is similar to that achieved in experiments in which topical mitomycin C is placed into the myringotomy site created by the laser. (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2000;122:346-8.)

Preapplication of mitomycin C for enhanced patency of myringotomy

OBJECTIVESVentilation tubes are the mainstay of surgical treatment for eustachian tube dysfunction and have been used successfully for many years. Certain disadvantages of ventilation tubes, however, have prompted research into alternative techniques including laser myringotomy. We investigated the use of KTP laser myringotomy in conjunction with topical mitomycin C to delay healing and prolong the patency of the myringotomy.METHODSTwenty myringotomies were created in 10 Sprague‐Dawley rats. A solution of mitomycin C was applied to the intact tympanic membrane for 15 minutes. The solution was then suctioned free, and a myringotomy was created with a KTP laser. Fifty‐three rats with saline application serving as controls from a previous study were used to allow statistical assessment.RESULTSThe myringotomies remained open for a median of 9.5 weeks. Control myringotomies, which received saline solution instead of mitomycin C, healed within a median of 1.5 weeks. The difference was statistically significant at P &lt; 0.0001. No complications were noted.CONCLUSIONTopically administered mitomycin C before laser myringotomy is effective in prolonging the patency of laser myringotomies in rats. The patency rate is similar to that achieved in experiments in which topical mitomycin C is placed into the myringotomy site created by the laser.

Third Place — Resident Clinical Science Award 1994: Recovery of Eustachian Tube Function and Hearing Outcome in Patients with Cleft Palate

Eustachian tube dysfunction is a nearly universal complication of cleft palate, resulting in chronic ear disease and conductive hearing loss. Cleft palate repair is thought to result in recovery of eustachian tube function, but the length of time between repair and recovery of eustachian tube function is not known. Furthermore, the efficacy of tympanostomy tubes in the treatment of eustachian tube dysfunction and hearing sequelae has not been examined in a systematic way. To answer these questions, we performed a retrospective study that used serial audiometric data and tympanometry on 81 patients with cleft palates (162 ears), with follow-up ranging from 1 to 17.3 years. Average time to recovery of eustachian tube function was 6.0 years (range, 1.0 to 10.3 years) after cleft palate surgery. For children followed up for at least 6 years (longest follow-up, 17.3 years), 70% (67 of 85) had normal eustachian tube function at their last follow-up visit. Ears treated with Armstrong tympanostomy tubes required an average of 3.1 tubes per ear until recovery of eustachian tube function, whereas ears treated with Goode T tubes required only 1.1 tubes per ear (p < 0.05). Hearing evaluation revealed that 67% of ears had abnormal hearing thresholds (> 20 dB) before tympanostomy tube placement, whereas only 7.5% of ears demonstrated this loss after tube placement. Furthermore, more than 90% of ears maintained normal thresholds after recovery of eustachian tube function. These data indicate that most children with cleft palates eventually recover normal eustachian tube function after palatoplasty, but for the majority of children, this does not occur for many years.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Surgical Treatment of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

Two surgical procedures for improvement of tubal function were experimentally tested and applied to patients with severe tubal dysfunction, such as stenosis or patency of the tube. By electrical muscle stimulation, it was found that in dogs, a procedure of cutting the tensor veli palatini muscle; the most important muscle for tubal opening, produced consistent tubal obstruction, while shortening the tensor muscle by suturing it around the hamular process resulted in a consistent increase in tubal patency. These procedures were utilized in cases of 5 patients with severe tubal disturbance, and postoperativelythese patients were followed-up utilizing tubo-tympano-aerodynamic gram and tympanogram. All patients with an abnormal tubal patency showed immediate relief but no long-lasting effect, indicating the unsatisfactory result of this procedure for clinical application. In one patient with the obstructive tube, gradual improvement to nearly normal function was noted one month after the surgery.