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The DILATE study: a prospective cohort study of balloon dilatation for Eustachian tube dysfunction in patients with no middle-ear disease

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2024

Aryan Kalra Open the ORCID record for Aryan Kalra [Opens in a new window] ,
Katie McLeod ,
Thomas Hendriks ,
Shane Ling  and
Jafri Kuthubutheen
Aryan Kalra*
Affiliation:
School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
Katie McLeod
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
Thomas Hendriks
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
Shane Ling
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia
Jafri Kuthubutheen
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, Perth, WA, Australia Division of Surgery, School of Medicine, The University of Western Australia, Perth, WA, Australia
*
Corresponding author: Aryan Kalra; Email: aryankalra25@gmail.com
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Abstract

Objective

This study evaluates the safety and utility of Eustachian tube balloon dilatation in treating Eustachian tube dysfunction symptoms in adults without middle-ear disease.

Methods

A prospective cohort study was performed. Adults with dilatory Eustachian tube dysfunction symptoms and no middle-ear disease underwent Eustachian tube balloon dilatation. A clinical assessment including tympanometry, pure tone audiometry, otoscopy, ability to Valsalva, and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 was performed pre-operatively and repeated during a 12-month follow-up period.

Results

Fifteen participants were enrolled. The mean pre-operative Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 score of 4.6 reduced to 2.5 at six weeks (P < 0.01), 3.0 at six months (P = 0.02) and 2.6 at 12 months (P < 0.01) post-operatively. All patients without evidence of negative middle-ear pressure had Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 score improvements. There were no post-operative complications.

Conclusion

Eustachian tube balloon dilatation is safe and effective at treating Eustachian tube dysfunction in patients with no middle-ear disease or evidence of negative middle-ear pressure.

Keywords

sensorineural hearing losstinnitusinner earballoon dilationeustachian tube dysfunction

Information

Type
Main Article
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 139 , Issue 1 , January 2025 , pp. 7 - 12
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of J.L.O. (1984) LIMITED

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Footnotes

Aryan Kalra takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

Presented at the 15th Asia Oceania ORL–HNS Congress, 8–12 March 2023, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

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