title: Endonasal dilatation of the Eustachian tube (EET) in children: feasibility and the role of tubomanometry (Estève) in outcomes measurement.
abstract: Studies on endonasal dilatation of the Eustachian tube (EET) utilizing a balloon catheter have shown encouraging results over the last years. This retrospective analysis presents our outcomes with EET in children with chronic obstructive dysfunction of the Eustachian tube, as well as the role of tubomanometry (TMM, Estève) as a diagnostic tool in the pre- and postoperative assessment of the Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction. The data of 33 children, having undergone EET between September 2010 and March 2014, were retrospectively evaluated. They were assessed using tubomanometry before and after the EET. The R-data as the rate of Eustachian tube function in tubomanometry (TMM) were pre- and postoperatively matched with the clinical outcomes. Moreover, the patients' complaints before and after the procedure were analyzed. We did not see any EET-related complications in children. Most patients noticed a relief of their complaints. In the same time, tubomanometry was not able to show improved tube function or favorable postoperative changes in the R-data. Ear-related symptoms (e.g. otorrhea, otalgia, hearing loss) have been improved. EET is a feasible method in adults as well as in children to treat chronic tube dysfunction. However, tubomanometry does not seem to be the adequate tool to evaluate the tube function and thus the success rate of EET in children with chronic dysfunction of the Eustachian tube.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. F.Jenckel@uke.de.
authors.forename: Friederike
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Jenckel
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Natalie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kappo
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gliese
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Maureen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loewenthal
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany.
authors.forename: Balazs B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Lörincz
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. r.knecht@uke.de.
authors.forename: Rainald
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Knecht
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Oncology, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Martinistr. 52, 20246, Hamburg, Germany. c.dalchow@uke.de.
authors.forename: Carsten V
authors.initials: CV
authors.lastname: Dalchow
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D004106:Dilatation / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D004433:Earache / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008365:Manometry; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: Balloon dilation Eustachian tuboplasty (BET); Chronic obstructive dysfunction of Eustachian tube; Ear-related symptoms; Endonasal dilatation of the Eustachian tube (EET); R-score; Tubomanometry