Effectiveness of Baloon Eustachian Tuboplasty on hronic Otitis Media with Effusion

Abstract：ObjectiveTo evaluate the effectiveness of balloon eustachian tuboplasty(BET)on chronic otitis media with effusion(COME)and the relative management.Methods Fifty-six ears(thirty-nine patients)of COME were included. All the patients had tried the traditional methods as medicine treatment,tympanic paracentisis and tympanic grommet for at least once but failed. Oto-endoscopy was used to confirmed the middle ear effusion,Impedance audiometry confirmed a type B or C tympanogram. R-value in tubomanometry(TMM) were admitted to evaluated the Eustachian tube function. BET was performed for all the patients and tympanic paracentisis or grommet insertion was admitted according to the middle ear condition during the operation and the follow-up. All the patients were followed up for 6 months. The main outcomes included the middle ear effusion,R-value in TMM,and tym-panogram.Results54 ears were successfuly performed BET, while 2 ears were failed and performed tympanic grommet. Eight ears (14.3%)were performed BET only,among which 6 ears(75.0%) did not have effusion recurrence,while effusion remained in two ears and tympanic paracentisis was admitted for once and then no further recurrence. Forty-eight ears(82.1%)were admited BET and synchro-nous tympanic paracentisis,among which twenty ears(43.4%)did not have effusion recurrence during the 6-month folow-up,twenty-three ears(50%)had effusion recurrent and were admited tympanic paracen-tisis and then recovered. However,the other three ears(6.5%)needed further grommet insertion. Overal,the effective rate of BET on COME was 91.1%(51/56). Tympanogram and TMM test showed that the Eustachian function improved significantly at the 6-month post the BET operation.ConclusionFor COME patients that can not be cured by the traditional metholds,BET can impove their Eustachian function and achieve good clinical outcome.