title: Balloon dilation eustachian tuboplasty: a feasibility study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the feasibility and safety of balloon dilation Eustachian tuboplasty (BET) as an option for treatment of patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cadaveric study of 5 temporal human bones was performed. Each bone underwent transnasal balloon dilation Eustachian tuboplasty (BET) with computed tomography and post-dilation histology. The procedure involved the dilation of the cartilaginous and bony portion of the Eustachian tube with a balloon catheter.
  
  
  RESULTS
  BET is technically easy to perform. No damage to essential structures, particularly the carotid canal, was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This newly introduced method seems to be a feasible and safe procedure to dilate the Eustachian tube.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Bielefeld Academic Teaching Hospital, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: Thorsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Ockermann
authors.forename: Ulf
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Reineke
authors.forename: Tahwinder
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Upile
authors.forename: Jörg
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ebmeyer
authors.forename: Holger H
authors.initials: HH
authors.lastname: Sudhoff
mesh_terms: D002102:Cadaver; D002404:Catheterization; D004724:Endoscopy; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D010614:Pharynx / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000473:pathology; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome