Long-term Outcomes of Balloon Dilation for Persistent Eustachian Tube Dysfunction

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Medical Devices
• Clinical Research

Background:

• Persistent Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) significantly impacts quality of life.
• Medically refractory ETD often requires advanced treatment options.
• Balloon dilation has emerged as a promising intervention for ETD.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term efficacy of balloon dilation for persistent ETD.
• To assess durability of treatment effects on symptoms and middle ear function.
• To determine patient satisfaction following balloon dilation.

Main Methods:

• Extended follow-up of a prospective, multicenter randomized controlled trial.
• Inclusion of patients with medically refractory persistent ETD.
• Assessment of Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ-7) scores, revision rates, middle ear function, and patient satisfaction.

Main Results:

• Significant mean reduction in ETDQ-7 scores ( -2.5 ± 1.2, p < 0.0001) at a mean follow-up of 29.4 months.
• 93.6% of participants experienced symptom improvement.
• High rates of normalization in middle ear assessments (tympanic membrane position, tympanogram type) and positive Valsalva maneuvers were observed.

Conclusions:

• Balloon dilation provides durable symptom improvement for persistent ETD.
• The procedure demonstrates sustained positive effects on middle ear function.
• High patient satisfaction rates underscore the effectiveness of balloon dilation for ETD.