Balloon dilation for eustachian tube dysfunction: systematic review

BACKGROUND: Eustachian tube dysfunction is a disorder for which there are limited medical and surgical treatments. Recently, eustachian tube balloon dilation has been proposed as a potential solution. METHOD: A systematic literature review was performed. Abstracts were selected for relevance, and pooled data analysis and qualitative analysis was conducted. RESULTS: Nine prospective studies, describing 713 eustachian tube balloon dilations in 474 patients (aged 18-86 years), were identified. Follow-up duration ranged from 1.5 to 18 months. Ability to perform a Valsalva manoeuvre improved from 20 to 177 out of 245 ears following eustachian tube balloon dilation and, where data were reported in terms of patient numbers, from 15 to 189 out of 210 patients. Tympanograms were classified as type A in 7 out of 141 ears pre-operatively and in 86 out of 141 ears post-operatively. CONCLUSION: Prospective case series can confirm the safety of eustachian tube balloon dilation. As a potential solution for chronic eustachian tube dysfunction, further investigations are warranted to establish a higher level of evidence of efficacy.