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Myringotomy and tube insertion combined with balloon eustachian tuboplasty for the treatment of otitis media with effusion in children

  • Otology
  • Published:
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Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to clarify the role and safety of balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) in the treatment of otitis media with effusion (OME) in children.

Methods

This retrospective study was performed between January 2017 and February 2018. The study covered 25 OME patients treated with BET combined with myringotomy and tube insertion (MTI), designated as the BET group, and 24 OME patients treated with MTI during the same period considered as the controls. In addition, all patients received adenoidectomy if found with adenoid hypertrophy. The air–bone conduction gap (ABG) and curative effect were compared between the two groups. Tubomanometry (TMM) results were recorded preoperatively to confirm existence of eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). Otologic history and examination results of all patients were carefully recorded before the operation, at 6, 12 and 18 months postoperatively.

Results

Six months after surgery, ABG difference between the two groups was less than 1 dB HL. At 12 months after the operation, ABG in the BET group was smaller than that in the control group. There was a marked ABG deterioration (from 10.1 to 15.9 dB HL) in the control group compared to that in BET. Statistically significant differences in ABG difference between the two groups were observed 18 months after surgery with cured and total effective rates of BET at 76.1 and 93.5%, respectively. In the control group, these rates were 60.9 and 89.1% respectively. No serious complications and tympanic perforations were found in all subjects.

Conclusion

MTI combined with BET is effective and safe in the treatment of children with OME. Compared to simple MTI, application of BET can effectively extend improvement period and increase cured rate, especially after removal of the ventilation tube. Directly benefit from the ventilation tube, the curative effect was close during the period of tube retention. Considering the sample size and follow-up time of this study, related studies targeting large cohorts are needed in the future to validate the benefits of BET in children with OME.

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Acknowledgements

The authors would like to gratefully acknowledge audiologist Xiaomin Zhang from The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University for providing relevant data.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, 218 Jixi Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Shanwen Chen, Rui Wei, Biaoxin Zhang, Busheng Tong & Jianxin Qiu

  2. Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Mei Zhao

  3. The Second People’s Hospital of Hefei, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China

    Wenwen Zheng

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  1. Shanwen Chen
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Correspondence to Busheng Tong or Jianxin Qiu.

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All authors have read and approved the manuscript and have no conflict of interest of this paper.

Ethical standards

This study was approved by the local ethics committee of The First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, Anhui, People’s Republic of China. Written informed consent of both parents was obtained before surgery. All data were collected and analyzed retrospectively.

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Chen, S., Zhao, M., Zheng, W. et al. Myringotomy and tube insertion combined with balloon eustachian tuboplasty for the treatment of otitis media with effusion in children. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 277, 1281–1287 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-05828-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-020-05828-9

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