The novel retro-conchal approach for middle ear surgeries: Our experience in 196 patients / El nuevo abordaje retro-conchal para cirugías del oído medio: nuestra experiencia en 196 pacientes

Background This study aimed to describe a new proposed retro-conchal approach for middle ear surgery and to evaluate its advantages and postoperative impact. Methodology A retrospective case-series study was held at a tertiary university hospital from March 2008 to April 2022. We included 196 adult patients who were candidates for middle ear surgery because of chronic otitis media. The retro-conchal approach entailed a skin incision on the medial conchal surface 1 cm anterior to the auricular sulcus. It allowed the harvesting of the required size of conchal cartilage and temporalis fascia through the same incision with access into the middle ear and complete exposure to the mastoid process. In addition, we evaluated the use of this approach in tympanoplasty, including cholesteatoma surgeries with at least one-year postoperative follow-up. Result The long-term follow-up (22.9 ± 6.37 months) revealed that most operated cases (89%) did not develop postoperative sequelae related to this approach. On the other hand, 22 patients (11%) developed adverse outcomes, with a statistically significant difference regarding adverse outcomes as the P-value <0.001. Conclusion According to our experience with a relatively large number of patients, the retro-conchal technique was practical for various middle ear surgeries. It allowed optimal access to different middle ear areas and obtaining large-sized conchal cartilage and temporalis fascia (if needed) through the same incision without needing extra surgical steps. In addition, it was a safe maneuver without significant adverse outcomes in the long-term follow-up. (AU)

Antecedentes Este estudio tuvo como objetivo describir una nueva propuesta de abordaje retroconchal para la cirugía del oído medio y evaluar sus ventajas e impacto postoperatorio. Metodología Se realizó un estudio retrospectivo de serie de casos en un hospital universitario de tercer nivel desde marzo de 2008 hasta abril de 2022. Se incluyeron 196 pacientes adultos candidatos a cirugía de oído medio por otitis media crónica. El abordaje retroconchal implicó una incisión cutánea en la superficie medial de la concha 1 cm anterior al surco auricular. Permitió la recolección del tamaño requerido de cartílago de la concha y fascia temporal a través de la misma incisión con acceso al oído medio y exposición completa al proceso mastoideo. Evaluamos el uso de este abordaje en la timpanoplastia, incluidas las cirugías de colesteatoma con un seguimiento postoperatorio de al menos un año. Resultado El seguimiento a largo plazo (22,9 ± 6,37 meses) reveló que la mayoría de los casos operados (89%) no desarrollaron secuelas postoperatorias relacionadas con este abordaje. Por otro lado, 22 pacientes (11%) desarrollaron secuelas menores, con diferencia estadísticamente significativa en cuanto a la ocurrencia de secuelas como el valor P < 0,001. Conclusión De acuerdo con nuestra experiencia con un número relativamente grande de pacientes, la técnica retroconchal fue práctica para varias cirugías del oído medio. Permitió un acceso óptimo a diferentes áreas del oído medio y obtener cartílago de la concha y fascia temporal (si es necesario) de gran tamaño a través de la misma incisión sin necesidad de pasos quirúrgicos adicionales. Fue una maniobra segura y sin complicaciones significativas en el seguimiento a largo plazo. (AU)

Comparative study of endoscopic and microscopic tympanoplasty performed by a single experienced surgeon.

PURPOSE: The use of endoscopes in otologic procedures has been increasing worldwide. This study aimed to compare the efficacy of microscopic tympanoplasty (MT) and endoscopic tympanoplasty (ET) for tympanic membrane and middle ear surgery. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed 81 patients who underwent MT (n = 44) and ET (n = 37) for chronic otitis media with tympanic membrane perforation performed by a single surgeon between January 2013 and September 2019. The hearing outcomes, graft success rate, complications, operation time and hospital stay, and cost-effectiveness were recorded and compared between groups. Hearing outcomes were determined by pure tone audiometry. Cost-effectiveness was determined by the operation cost and total cost. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the MT and ET groups regarding demographic characteristics, with the exception of the male:female ratio. There was no significant difference in the pre- and postoperative air conduction, bone conduction thresholds, and air-bone gap values between the two groups, but a significant audiologic improvement was observed in both groups (p < 0.05). In terms of recurrence of tympanic membrane perforation, postoperative otorrhea, and discomfort symptoms, there was no significant difference between groups (p > 0.05). The operation time and hospital stay were shorter in the ET group than in the MT group (p < 0.05). There were no significant differences in operation cost between the two groups (p > 0.05), but the total cost was significantly lower in the ET group than the MT group (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: ET is as safe and medically efficacious as conventional MT, shortens the operation time and hospital stay, and is cost-effective.

Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty in Pediatric Patients: Is it Safe?

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.

A Novel Surgery Classification for Endoscopic Approaches to Middle Ear Cholesteatoma.

This study aimed to develop a novel surgery classification for an endoscopic approach to middle ear cholesteatoma. We retrospectively analyzed the surgical approaches and outcomes of patients with middle ear cholesteatoma. Middle ear cholesteatoma surgeries were divided into four types and two special types as follows: type I, attic retraction pocket, which only requires tympanostomy tube placement or retraction pocket resection and cartilage reconstruction; type II, cholesteatoma which is limited to the attic or in which endoscopy can confirm complete removal of mastoid cholesteatoma lesions, including type II a, requiring only use of a curette, and type II b, requiring use of an electric drill or chisel; type III, cholesteatoma not limited to the attic, in which endoscopy cannot confirm complete removal of mastoid cholesteatoma lesions, requiring the combined use of endoscope and microscope to perform endoscopic tympanoplasty and "Canal Wall Up" mastoidectomy; type IV, extensive involvement of mastoid cavity cholesteatoma lesions and/or cases with a potential risk of complications, removal of which can only be performed under a microscope for "Canal Wall Down" mastoidectomy. In addition, there were two special types: "difficult external auditory canal" and congenital cholesteatoma in children. In our system, type I and type II middle ear cholesteatoma surgery was completely performed under an endoscope alone. However, estimating the extent of the lesions, determining the choice of mastoid opening and reestablishing ventilation are the key points for an endoscopic approach to middle ear cholesteatoma. The classification of endoscopic middle ear cholesteatoma surgery may benefit the selection of surgical indications.

Endoscopic transcanal versus conventional microscopic tympanoplasty in treatment of anterior tympanic membrane perforations.

PURPOSE: To compare the surgical outcomes of endoscopic transcanal tympanoplasty (ETT) and conventional microscopic tympanoplasty (CMT) in repairing anterior tympanic membrane perforations (ATMPs). METHODS: We retrospectively analyzed the graft success rate, hearing outcomes, operative time, hospitalization period and complications in patients who underwent ETT and CMT between October 2015 and July 2018. In addition, the authors investigated whether anterior canal wall protrusion (ACWP) affects the graft success rate and operative time. RESULTS: The graft success rates for ETT and CMT were 93.7% (30 out of 32 patients) and 91.4% (32 out of 35 patients), respectively (p = 0.640). There was no significant relationship between ACWP and graft success rates in either the endoscopic (p = 0.685) and microscopic (p = 0.894) group. The mean operative time was significantly shorter in the ETT group (37.2 ± 3.1 min) than in the CMT group (52.9 ± 9.2 min) (p < 0.001). Regarding operative time, there was no statistically significant difference between patients with and without ACWP (38.3 versus 36.3 min, respectively (p = 0.124)) in the ETT group. However, the mean operative time of patients with ACWP in the CMT group was significantly longer than patients without ACWP [62.3 versus 48.8 min, respectively (p < 0.001)]. CONCLUSIONS: ETT offering fewer complication rates and shorter duration of surgery may serve as a reasonable alternative to CMT in repairing ATMPs, with comparable graft success rates.

Investigation of Novel Grafts in Use for Pediatric Tympanoplasty.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of allograft and xenograft in pediatric tympanoplasty on patient outcomes. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study of 50 pediatric patients undergoing tympanoplasty at a single tertiary pediatric hospital system that received either autograft, allograft, or xenograft. Patients were evaluated for persistent perforation, recurrent perforation, revision surgery, and postoperative infection. Hearing outcomes, operative charges, and operative time were also evaluated. Statistical analyses included chi-square and Fisher exact tests for categorical data and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests for continuous data. RESULTS: Half of the cohort received autografts, whereas 38% received xenografts and 14% received allografts. Although there was not a significant difference in charges associated with these procedures, xenografts had the shortest mean operative time (mean: 39 vs 68 minutes in autografts, p = .05). Overall, the rate of persistent perforation was 10%, recurrent perforation was 20%, revision surgery was 16%, and postoperative infection was 18%. There were no differences in the rates of these outcomes by graft type. Furthermore, there was no observed difference in hearing outcomes among autograft and xenograft recipients, but allograft recipients had significantly improved hearing postoperatively. CONCLUSIONS: Similar rates of complications were observed among autografts, xenografts, and allografts, providing preliminary evidence that they are safe to use in pediatric tympanoplasty.

Effect of balloon dilation eustachian tuboplasty combined with tympanic tube insertion in the treatment of chronic recurrent secretory otitis media.

PURPOSE: To investigate the long-term clinical effect of balloon dilation eustachian tuboplasty (BET) combined with tympanic tube insertion (TTI) in the treatment of chronic recurrent secretory otitis media (CRSOM). MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective study of 30 cases of CRSOM treated with BET combined with TTI under general anesthesia between August 2014 and September 2016. Thirty cases of CRSOM treated with TTI in the same period were taken as the control group. All cases were followed over 24 months. The scores of eustachian tube (ET) function preoperation, 1 month, 6 months, 12 months, and 24 months postoperation were collected and analyzed, respectively. A satisfaction questionnaire was used to evaluate the therapy at 24-months postoperation. RESULTS: The symptoms were significantly improved and the ET score was obviously increased postsurgery in most cases treated with BET plus TTI compared with those treated with TTI alone. The highest ET score was obtained at 6 months post BET. Five (14%) cases (6 ears) of CRSOM recurred. The 24-month postoperation follow-up questionnaire showed that 84.6% of the patients were satisfied with the treatment, while ten cases (25%) in the TTI group recurred. CONCLUSION: BET combined with TTI surgery is an effective therapy for patients with CRSOM.

Association of Tympanostomy Tubes With Future Risk of Advanced Ear Surgery-A Population Study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate future surgery for chronic ear disease in children who underwent tympanostomy tube (TT) placement, compared with non-surgically treated patients and healthy controls. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective population-based cohort study. SETTING: All hospitals in the Canadian province of Ontario. PATIENTS/INTERVENTION: Of children aged 18 years and younger, three cohorts were constructed: 1) TT: patients who had undergone at least one TT procedure (n = 193,880), 2) No-TT: patients with recurrent physician visits for middle ear concerns who did not undergo TT (n = 203,283), and 3) Control: an age-sex matched control group who had not had TT or physician visits for recurrent middle ear concerns (n = 961,168). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Risk, and odds ratios (ORs) of surgery for chronic ear disease. RESULTS: The TT cohort had a higher risk of tympanoplasty (OR 9.50 versus No-TT, p < 0.001; OR 207.90 versus Control, p < 0.001), ossiculoplasty (OR 3.22 versus No-TT, p < 0.001; OR 84.13 versus Control, p < 0.001), atticotomy (OR 4.41 versus No-TT, p < 0.001; OR 44.78 versus Control, p < 0.001), and mastoidectomy (OR 3.22 versus No-TT, p < 0.001; OR 89.12 versus control, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study describes the population risk of subsequent ear surgeries in TT patients. These TT patients have a significantly higher risk of surgery for chronic ear disease versus those patients with recurrent middle ear disease that did not undergo TT, and age-sex matched controls.

Long-term outcomes of cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasty for prolonged middle ear ventilation.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS: To report on the safety and efficacy of cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasty for long-term middle ear ventilation, specifically by examining duration of tube survival, as well as adverse events associated with prolonged middle ear intubation, including persistent tympanic membrane perforation. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series of patients undergoing cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasty between January 2005 and December 2016 in a tertiary-care neurotology private practice. METHODS: Patients who underwent cartilage T-tube tympanoplasty with complete pre- and postoperative audiometric data and a minimum follow-up duration of 12 months were analyzed. T-tube survival and adverse events including persistent tympanic membrane perforation were recorded and compared to published data for other long-term middle ear ventilation techniques. RESULTS: The study cohort included 72 cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasties in 68 patients. Median tube survival was 34 months (range, 2-131 months). Incidence of persistent tympanic membrane perforation (n = 1) was 1.4% CONCLUSIONS: Cartilage-buttressed T-tube tympanoplasty is a safe and effective means of accomplishing long-term middle ear ventilation with a considerably lower rate of persistent tympanic membrane perforation as compared to alternative methods of prolonged middle ear ventilation. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 4 Laryngoscope, 129:203-208, 2019.

Clinical Utility of Intraoperative Tympanomastoidectomy Assessment Using a Surgical Microscope Integrated with an Optical Coherence Tomography.

Significant technical and optical advances are required for intraoperative optical coherence tomography (OCT) to be utilized during otological surgeries. Integrating OCT with surgical microscopy makes it possible to evaluate soft tissue in real-time and at a high resolution. Herein, we describe an augmented-reality, intraoperative OCT/microscope system with an extended working distance of 280 mm, providing more space for surgical manipulation than conventional techniques. We initially performed ex vivo experiments to evaluate system performance. In addition, we validated the system by performing preliminary clinical assessments of tympanomastoidectomy outcomes in six patients with chronic otitis media. The system evaluated residual inflammation in the region-of-interest of the mastoid bone. Most importantly, the system intraoperatively revealed the connection between the graft and the remnant tympanic membrane. The extended working distance allows otological surgeons to evaluate the status of both the mastoid bone and tympanic membrane during manipulation, affording full intraoperative imaging.

Function, Applicability, and Properties of a Novel Flexible Total Ossicular Replacement Prosthesis With a Silicone Coated Ball and Socket Joint.

HYPOTHESIS: A total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP) with a silicone coated ball and socket joint (BSJ) is able to compensate pressure changes and therefore provide better sound transmission compared with rigid prostheses. BACKGROUND: Dislocation and extrusion are known complications after TORP reconstruction, leading to revisions and recurrent hearing loss. Poor aeration of the middle ear, scar tension, and static pressure variations in conjunction with rigid prosthesis design causes high tension at the implant coupling points. METHODS: A novel TORP prototype with a silicone coated BSJ has been developed. Experimental measurements were performed on nine fresh cadaveric human temporal bones of which five were used for a comparison between rigid TORP and flexible TORP tympanoplasty. The middle ear transfer function was measured at ambient pressure and at 2.5 kPa, both positive and negative pressure, applied in the ear canal. RESULTS: The flexible TORP design yields a better transmission of sound after implantation and at negative pressure inside the tympanic cavity, compared with rigid TORP. In average, it provides an equivalent sound transfer like the intact middle ear. At positive pressure, the flexible TORP performs slightly worse. Both performed worse than the intact middle ear, which is related to an uplifting of the prostheses. CONCLUSION: The findings may be considered preliminary as this experimental study was limited to just one of the many different possible situations of tympanoplasty and it involved a small sample size. Nevertheless, the results with the flexible TORP were promising and could encourage further investigations on such prostheses.

Early Tympanoplasty Using a Synthetic Biomembrane for Military-Related Blast Induced Large Tympanic Membrane Perforation.

Introduction: Blast injuries in modern warfare are common, and tympanic perforation is often found. Spontaneous closures of large perforations that encompass greater than 80% of the tympanic surface are rare. Early closure of the tympanic membrane avoids the immediate infectious risk, which potentially complicates the initial management of these war-wounded patients, and allows for safe and early recovery of military activity. This study compared the outcomes of spontaneous closures and early biomembrane myringoplasty in subjects with large blast injury-induced tympanic perforation following a massive explosion. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective, observational, cohort study military troops with large barotraumatic tympanic membrane perforation. The study investigates early surgical tympanoplasty versus observation for spontaneous closure. The hearing loss, tympanic perforation closure rate, and closure time were noted. Results: Fourteen patients (19 ears) were referred from May 2008 to April 2017, and 6 patients (9 ears) underwent early myringoplasty. A total of 89% (n = 8) and 100% (n = 9) of the ears exhibited successful sealing of the perforation at one and 6 mo, respectively. In contrast, 60% (n = 6) of the 10 ears (8 patients) without initial myringoplasty did not heal spontaneously at 6 mo, and these ears underwent a delayed tympanoplasty procedure. Notably, patients with early myringoplasty suffered lower conductive hearing loss and fewer functional signs remotely. Conclusion: Early myringoplasty using a biomembrane for blast injury-induced large tympanic perforation is a fast and minimally invasive method to achieve earlier tympanic closure and a higher closure rate for safe recovery of activity. It can be performed under general anesthesia concurrently with surgery for additional body-wide trauma. The deployment of ENT surgeons on the battlefield in the French Army has enabled early management of these patients.

[Long-term Follow up and patient satisfaction after tympanoplasty with Titanium Clip-Prothesis]. / Langzeitergebnisse und Patientenzufriedenheit nach Tympanoplastik mit Titan-Clip-Prothesen.

Aim of the present study is to evaluate the long term results of ossiculoplasty using titanium clip prosthesis. A retrospective analysis with prospective follow-up has been done including for all patients who had a Clip-PORP implanted between the years 2002-2013. Following this, audiometric hearing results were measured with clinical examination including otoscopy and quality of life evaluation using Glasgow benefit inventory. 48 patients (51 ears, 29 men, 19 women, average age 44.1 years) received followed up after an average duration of 6.3 years. The overall air-bone-gap (0.5-4 kHz) decreased from 22.8 dB preoperatively to 14.6 dB postoperatively (p≤0.001). The most frequent indication for surgical treatment were cholesteatomas and recurrent cholesteatomas (52%), chronic inflammation of middle ear (12%), revision of radical mastoidectomy (8%) and disturbance in sound conduction after previous operation (14%). Tympanic membrane was closed in 47 times (92,2%), 4 times (7,8%) there was a defect. Clip-PORP was in situ 39 times (75%), protrusion and disposal were detected 6 times (11,8%) and 2 times (4%), respectively. However, 1 time (2%) the prothesis was lost or evaluation was not possible (3 times, 5,9%). The overall patient satisfaction and general subscale score after the treatment was beneficially evaluated. There was no change in social support score nore the physical health score. In summary, the ossicular chain reconstruction using titan Clip-PORP is safe and well established. Also in long-term analysis stable hearing results due to reduction of air bone gap are represented. The subjective quality of life is sustainable improved.

Surgical trainees and powered-drill use do not affect type I tympanoplasty hearing outcomes.

The purposes of this study were to determine if use of a powered drill or trainee involvement during tympanoplasty is associated with a decline in sensorineural hearing, as well as to examine whether trainee involvement affected tympanic membrane (TM) closure rates. This study was a chart review (February 2006 to October 2011) of 172 pediatric otolaryngology patients undergoing type I tympanoplasty for TM perforation of any etiology at a tertiary-care pediatric otolaryngology practice. Data collected included air conduction (AC) at 250 to 8,000 Hz, speech reception thresholds, bone conduction (BC) at 500 to 4,000 Hz, and air-bone gap (ABG) at 500 to 4,000 Hz. Rates of surgical success did not change significantly if a trainee assisted during surgery (69.6% with an assistant vs. 77.4% without; p = 0.297). AC hearing was not found to be significantly different between the two groups preoperatively or postoperatively at 250, 500, 1,000, 2,000, 4,000, or 8,000 Hz (p > 0.05). There were no significant differences in AC hearing outcomes between patients in whom a surgical drill was used and those in whom no drill was used (p > 0.05). BC and ABG did not change significantly at any frequency (p > 0.05). In conclusion, no correlation between high-frequency hearing loss and use of a powered drill for canalplasty during type I tympanoplasty was found in this pediatric population. No significant difference was found in surgical success rates or AC hearing outcomes when a surgical trainee was present.

[The prevalence of tympanosclerosis and the effectiveness of its surgical treatment]. / Rasprostranennost' timpanoskleroza i éffektivnost' ego khirurgicheskogo lecheniia.

The objective of the present study was to characterize the epidemiological variants of tympanosclerosis and the effectiveness of the surgical treatment of the patients presenting with this condition. We have undertaken the analysis of the results of 1965 surgical interventions on the patients suffering from different forms of chronic otitis media (COM) performed during the period from 2009 till 2014 with a view to determining the frequency of tympanosclerosis (TSC). In 542 cases, it proved possible to evaluate the intraoperative findings, stages and methods of reconstructive surgery, the anatomical and functional outcomes and effectiveness of the intervention. At present, the signs of tympanosclerosis are identified in 27.6% of the patients presenting with chronic otitis media including 88.7% and 11.3% suffering from the perforating and non-perforating forms of this pathology, respectively. In 74% of the cases its manifestations are diagnosed in the patients having the tubotympanic form of COM. In 53.3% of the patients TSC foci are responsible for the fixation of the ossicular chain whereas in 46.7% of the cases the auditory ossicles retain mobility. As many as 88.6% of the patients underwent the one-step surgical intervention, 10.7% were managed using two-step surgery, and 0.7% of the patients were given the three-stage treatment. Type I tympanoplasty was performed in 62% of the patients, type III tympanoplasty in 30.4%, and various types of stapedoplasty in 4.6% of the cases. The favourable anatomical and functional outcomes at the first stage of the surgical intervention with the use of the autogenous tissues for tympano- and ossiculoplastic surgery were achieved in 87.9% of the patients on the average (by means of the closure of the tympanic defect in 92.2% and by re-fixation of the selected elements of the ossicular chain in 17.3%of the cases). The anatomical and functional effectiveness of the second-stage surgical intervention was estimated at 93.1%.

Hacettepe cartilage slicer: a novel cartilage slicer and its performance test results.

OBJECTIVE: This study investigated the performance of a cartilage slicer device referred to as the 'Hacettepe cartilage slicer'. METHODS: Forty-one cartilage pieces were harvested from eight fresh frozen human ears and measured in thickness with a digital micrometer. These pieces were randomly sliced using four different thickness settings and two different types of blades. The thicknesses of the slices and remaining pieces were measured also. Scanning electron microscopy was utilised to determine the surface smoothness of the slices. RESULTS: Thickness results showed a proportional increase with the increasing thickness setting, with a ±0.1 mm margin of error. The measurements showed that over 95 per cent of the slices' structural integrity was preserved. Although both blades provided satisfactory results, scanning electron microscopy revealed that the slices cut with a single bevel blade had superior surface smoothness. CONCLUSION: To our knowledge, the current study is the first to evaluate the performance of a cartilage slicer device. Based on the thickness results, the Hacettepe cartilage slicer fulfilled its design goals: to consistently produce slices at the intended thickness with a ±0.1 mm tolerance, and to preserve over 95.3 per cent of cartilage thickness thereby ensuring undamaged, strong cartilage slices.

Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty in children.

Endonasal ballon dilatation of the Eustachian tube (BET) is a promising treatment for Eustachian tube dysfunction with encouraging results over the last years in adults. In addition, in children, single studies demonstrated promising results, but revealed the necessity for broader and additional studies. Our retrospective analysis presents outcomes with BET in children with chronic obstructive dysfunction of the Eustachian tube, showing resistance to the conventional therapy after adenotomy with paracentesis or grommets (ventilation tubes). The data of 52 children, having undergone BET from April 2011 to April 2016, were retrospectively evaluated. Most children in our study presented middle ear effusion (47%), adhesive (21%), chronic otitis media (13%), or recurrent acute otitis media (11%). In 24 (37%) children, we combined BET with a paracentesis, in 5 (8%) patients with a tympanoplasty type I and in 3 (5%) patients with a type III. All children were assessed using an audiogram, tympanometry, and tubomanometry (50 mbar) before and after BET. In addition, we evaluated the results of the Lübecker questionnaire, which we performed before and after BET. The childrens' ear-related and quality of life-related symptoms, such as pressure equalization, ear pressure, hearing loss, pain and limitation in daily life, and satisfaction pre- and postoperatively, were analyzed. In the majority of patients, we could see an improvement in the ear pressure, hearing loss, limitation in daily life, and satisfaction with recurrent inflammations, underlined by better outcomes in the tubomanometry and the tympanogram. BET in children is a safe, efficient, and promising method to treat chronic tube dysfunction, especially as a second line treatment, when adenotomy, paracentesis, or grommets failed before.