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A Systematic Literature Review of the Safety and Efficacy of Eustachian Balloon Tuboplasty in Patients with Chronic Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

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Indian Journal of Otolaryngology and Head & Neck Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is a common condition afflicting 1% of the adult population and is said to be higher in the pediatric population. Currently, it is primarily managed with medical therapy. However, newer management techniques like balloon tuboplasty have been introduced. To systematically review the available evidence on eustachian tube balloon dilation for treating chronic ETD covering indications, efficacy, safety, short term, and long term outcomes, a literature search was conducted on Google Scholar and Pubmed. 21 publications met the inclusion criteria. Based on the literature review the procedure was found to be effective in alleviating symptoms in adult and pediatric patients immediately postoperatively and long term, up to 5 years. The adverse event rate was 3% and these were mostly minor self-resolving complications. The perioperative protocol varies from center to center. Balloon tuboplasty was found to be safe and efficacious in the short and long term post operatively in select patients with chronic ETD.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ENT, Head and Neck Surgeon, MIOT International, Chennai, India

    Narendran Ramakrishnan

  2. InnAccel Technologies Private Limited, Bengaluru, India

    Rohan D’Souza & Pooja Kadambi

Authors
  1. Narendran Ramakrishnan
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  2. Rohan D’Souza
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  3. Pooja Kadambi
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Rohan D’Souza.

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Conflict of interest

Dr. Rohan D’Souza and Pooja Kadambi are employees of InnAccel Technologies Private Limited, Bangalore, which is currently developing a Balloon Tuboplasty Device, EustaCare.

Ethical Approval

This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Appendix

Appendix

ETS-7

The eustachian tube score-7 facilitating quantification and interindividual comparison of eustachian tube function (Adapted from Schröder et al. [26])

Symptom/Finding

2 points

1 point

0 points

Clicking sound when swallowing

Always

Occasionally

Never

Positive subjective

Valsalva

Always

Occasionally

Never

Objective Valsalva

Immediate

Weak and slow

Negative

Tympanometry

   

TMMa 30 mbar

R ≤ 1

R > 1

No R

TMMa 40 mbar

R ≤ 1

R > 1

No R

TMMa 50 mbar

R ≤ 1

R > 1

No R

  1. Eustachian tube score-7 ranging from 0 to 14 points
  2. aTMM tubomanometry

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Ramakrishnan, N., D’Souza, R. & Kadambi, P. A Systematic Literature Review of the Safety and Efficacy of Eustachian Balloon Tuboplasty in Patients with Chronic Eustachian Tube Dysfunction. Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 71, 406–412 (2019). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-019-01637-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12070-019-01637-7

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