title: Efficacy of balloon dilation in the treatment of symptomatic Eustachian tube dysfunction: One year follow-up study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Eustachian tube balloon dilation (ETBD) has been recently described as feasible treatment for patients with refractory Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD). The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of ETBD in the treatment of symptomatic Eustachian tube dysfunction (SETD) by subjective and objective analysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  Forty patients who underwent ETBD were included in the study. Subjects' inclusion criteria were as follows: symptoms of ETD (aural fullness predominantly, with or without otalgia, muffle hearing and tinnitus), normal tympanic membrane, type A or C tympanograms, and without a history of any middle ear diseases. Main outcomes including subjective improvement, otoscopy, pure-tone audiometry, impedance audiometry, R-value in tubomanometry (TMM) at three pressure measurements (30, 40, and 50 mbar), Eustachian Tube Score (ETS) and the ability to perform a Valsalva maneuver were assessed preoperatively, 1 week, 3 months and 12 months postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All cases were dilated successfully. A significant effect of treatment was documented when measuring subjective improvement, impedance audiometry, R-value in TMM, ETS and the ability to perform a Valsalva maneuver 1 week, 3 months and 12 month postoperatively. Subjective symptoms were not relieved only in one patient. The overall success rate for all patients was 98%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  ETBD can provide both short- and long-term benefits to those who are diagnosed SETD and refractory to medical management. SETD might be an optimal indication for ETBD in the treatment of ETD.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Institute of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Department of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
authors.forename: Hao
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Xiong
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Institute of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Department of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
authors.forename: Maojin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Institute of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Department of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
authors.forename: Zhigang
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Institute of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Department of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
authors.forename: Yaodong
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Xu
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Institute of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Department of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
authors.forename: Yongkang
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ou
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Institute of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Department of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
authors.forename: Suijun
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Institute of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Department of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, China.
authors.forename: Haidi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Institute of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Sun Yat-sen University, China; Department of Hearing and Speech-Language Science, Xinhua College, Sun Yat-sen University, China. Electronic address: yiqingzheng@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Yiqing
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Zheng
mesh_terms: D000158:Acoustic Impedance Tests; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D004106:Dilatation / Q000379:methods*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D005064:Eustachian Tube / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006309:Hearing / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D038781:Otoscopy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult