Eustachian Tube Balloon Dilation in Chronic Otitis Media with Effusion

Otitis media with effusion (OME) is the occurrence of fluid accumulation in the middle ear cavity without showing any signs of acute infection. It is more common in children and can become chronic in both children and adults. It is caused by ear infection, Eustachian tube dysfunction, or secondary to subclinical bacterial infection. It is characterized by aural fullness, hearing impairment, and the inability to perform the Valsalva maneuver. Ventilation tube insertion is the recommended treatment for chronic OME, combined with adenoidectomy in children. However, it is associated with a high recurrence rate. Balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube (BDET) has shown promising results in the treatment of chronic OME. However, a comprehensive review discussing the role of BDET, either alone or combined with other procedures, is lacking. This review aims to discuss current management of OME in children and adults, focusing on the role of BDET. There is no definitive medical therapy for OME; however, some medications can help alleviate symptoms, such as topical steroids and mucolytics. Although balloon dilation of the Eustachian tube has been widely used in the adult population, there were concerns regarding its use in children. However, multiple studies have emphasized the effectiveness and safety of BDET in the treatment of chronic OME in children. It has shown improvement in various postoperative outcomes, such as clinical symptoms, postoperative otoscopy results, postoperative acoustic impedance, and postoperative pure tone audiometry in both adults and children. Future studies should investigate the use of BDET as first-line therapy for chronic OME in children and adults.