There is a new procedure using a small medical balloon that can improve Eustachian tube dysfunction. The procedure uses a balloon catheter to widen the Eustachian tube, similar to the medical intervention used to open clogged arteries.
We see a lot of patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction in our practice. The Eustachian tubes connect the space behind the ear drum with the back of the throat and help equalize pressure. It normally opens when a person swallows or yawns. In some people, however, a physical blockage or irritated tubes can interfere with this response, resulting in pain, a clogged sensation or muffled hearing during altitude changes.
Although most people with Eustachian tube dysfunction are sufficiently treated with medications, some have required pressure-equalization tubes (PE tubes) to prevent having fluid accumulate behind their ear drums. Having a tube in the ear drum makes it difficult to swim and surf and unsafe to dive. Furthermore, having a tube in an ear that requires a power hearing aid renders the ear susceptible to infection. Indeed, many of my patients decide to live with the difficulty of hearing loss and fullness in their ear so that they don’t have to have a tube placed.
There is a new procedure using a small medical balloon that can improve Eustachian tube dysfunction. The procedure uses a balloon catheter to widen the Eustachian tube, similar to the medical intervention used to open clogged arteries. The balloon surgery can be done as an outpatient procedure. A new long-term study presented in October at the American Academy of Otolaryngology meeting found that 81% of patients had relief one to 3.5 years after the surgery.
The balloon used to do the procedure is currently FDA-approved for sinus surgeries, but not yet for Eustachian tube dilation as is done in this procedure. We hope to be able to offer this to our patients soon.