Paediatric Eustachian tube balloon dilatation: the first UK experience

Abstract Background Eustachian tube balloon dilatation is a minimally invasive procedure to treat Eustachian tube dysfunction. Although widely adopted in adults, there are no published UK paediatric series. This project evaluated outcomes of balloon dilatation for Eustachian tube dysfunction in children treated at our tertiary ENT paediatric unit. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of paediatric patients undergoing balloon dilatation for Eustachian tube dysfunction over a three-year period. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 scores were recorded pre-operatively and at six weeks and three months post-operatively. Results Sixteen patients underwent balloon dilatation and 46 per cent of patients had concurrent procedures. The mean pre-operative Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire-7 score was 27.1, improving significantly to 12.4 at 6 weeks and 11.25 at 3 months ( p < 0.0001). All patients demonstrated symptomatic improvement, including those with repaired cleft palate who had undergone repeated ventilation tube insertion previously. Conclusion Balloon dilatation significantly improved patient-reported outcomes in paediatric Eustachian tube dysfunction and this study represents the first reported UK paediatric series.