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Preliminary results of a pilot study on the safety and efficacy of balloon dilatation of the Eustachian tube for nasopharyngeal cancer patients with chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction post irradiation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  22 June 2021

M S L Wong*
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
N Prepageran
Affiliation:
Otorhinolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
*
Author for correspondence: Dr Michael Wong, Otorhinolaryngology Department, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, Jalan Universiti, 50603Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia E-mail: michaelwsl@hotmail.com

Abstract

Objective

Eustachian tube dysfunction is a known complication following radiotherapy to the head and neck region. Unfortunately, treatment options are limited, with significant associated morbidity. Balloon Eustachian tube dilatation has been used successfully to treat Eustachian tube dysfunction; hence, this study aimed to determine the safety and efficacy of this method in treating Eustachian tube dysfunction in post-radiotherapy patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

Method

This interventional cohort pilot study on patients with Eustachian tube dysfunction compared those with nasopharyngeal carcinoma to patients without. Outcome assessment was based on tympanometry type and Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire score.

Results

A total of 14 ears (12 patients) were tested. Only 14 per cent of the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cohort showed improvement, while 71 per cent of the non-nasopharyngeal carcinoma group were successfully treated. No significant adverse effect was reported in any patient during this study.

Conclusion

Balloon Eustachian tube dilatation was not shown to be beneficial for post-radiotherapy Eustachian tube dysfunction in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients in the preliminary stages of this pilot study.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Cambridge University Press

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Footnotes

Dr M S L Wong takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper

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