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Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty in Pediatric Patients: Is it Safe?
Anthony Howard1,2, Seilesh Babu1,2,3, Michael Haupert1,2,4,5
1Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery Detroit, Ascension St. John Hospital and Medical Center, Detroit, Michigan, U.S.A.
Insights
Balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) is a safe procedure for children with Eustachian tube dysfunction. This study found a low complication rate of 4.7% in pediatric patients.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Pediatric Surgery
Background:
- Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) significantly impacts children's quality of life.
- Balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) is an emerging treatment for ETD.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the safety and complication profile of BET in pediatric patients.
- To determine the efficacy of BET in managing chronic or recurrent ETD in young individuals.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective chart review of 43 pediatric patients (<18 years) undergoing BET.
- Analysis of operative reports and postoperative follow-up for complications.
- Stratification of complications using the American College of Surgeons Classification.
Main Results:
- A total of 43 pediatric encounters were analyzed.
- The overall complication rate was 4.7% (2 of 43 cases).
- Complications included epistaxis and vertigo; one case was aborted due to poor exposure.
Conclusions:
- BET is a safe and effective intervention for pediatric patients with ETD.
- The procedure demonstrates a low complication rate, even in young children (as young as 6.6 years).
Objectives/Hypothesis:
The objective of this study is to demonstrate that balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) is safe and had limited complications in the pediatric patient population.
Study Design:
Retrospective chart review.
Methods:
This study analyzed the medical records of 43 consecutive encounters of patients under the age of 18 years old who underwent attempted BET. Charts of patients' postoperative appointments and appointments 30 days following the procedure were reviewed. Any complications that were reported by the surgeons' operative report or documented postoperatively were stratified by the Classification of Surgical Complications as outlined by the American College of Surgeons. Additional data points that were analyzed included concomitant surgical procedures, estimated blood loss, and demographic information.
Results:
A cohort of 43 pediatric patient encounters were investigated. There was a total of two complications from BET (4.7%) and one aborted case. The complications included epistaxis controlled with oxymetazoline and pressure, and vertigo that was later attributed to vestibular migraines. One case was aborted due to inadequate exposure. The average age of patients evaluated was 12.4 ± 3.2 years old with a range of 6.6 to 17.7 years old.
Conclusions:
In this retrospective cohort, BET was demonstrated to be a relatively safe intervention with an overall complication rate of 4.7% in patients as young as 6.6 years old with recurrent or chronic eustachian tube dysfunction and/or related issues.
Level Of Evidence:
4 Laryngoscope, 131:1657-1662, 2021.
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