Could balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube (BET) improve results of synchronous or subsequent tympanoplasty?

Introduction:

Obstructive Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) leads to a variety of symptoms and sequelae, ranging form “aural fullness” with normal findings to recurrent cholesteatoma, the later obviously representing the higher severity. Patients with all these different EDT related diseases have been treated by balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube (BET). So far, no specific data have been published on the outcome of BET where the patient presented sequelae required tympanoplasty.

Methods:

Retrospective analysis of medical records from patients receiving BET and simultaneous or subsequent tympanoplasty between 2011 and 2015 at Heidelberg Universityhospital. Indications for tympanoplasty were retraction pockets, chronic suppurative otitis media with or without cholesteatoma. BET plus tympanoplasty results were compared to a matched historic tympanoplasty collective.

Results:

Between 2011 and 2015 123 patients between 7 and 83 years of age were treated with BET. Of these, 13 received simultaneous tympanoplasty. An additional 19 patients were treated with subsequent tympanoplasty.

Conclusion:

Further prospective studies are needed to judge the benefit of BET simultaneous or subsequent to tympanoplasty.