J Audiol Otol.  2018 Jul;22(3):154-159. 10.7874/jao.2018.00017.

Trans-tympanic Cartilage Chip Insertion for Intractable Patulous Eustachian Tube

• Jeong J
• Nam J
• Han SJ
• Shin SH
• Hwang K
• Moon IS

• KMID: 2418920
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.7874/jao.2018.00017

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Patulous Eustachian tube (PET) causes troublesome autophony. We treated PET using tragal cartilage chip insertion to fill in the concavity within the tubal valve and evaluated the feasibility of this method.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
This study used a prospective design. Eleven patients with PET disorder were included. Tragal cartilage chip insertion via a transcanal approach into the Eustachian tube (ET) was performed in 14 ears of those patients. They were followed-up for at least 12 months after surgery and were evaluated by symptom questionnaire scores.
RESULTS
The average follow-up was 16.4 months. Thirteen of fourteen ears received immediate complete relief of autophony symptoms. Autophony symptoms at the last follow-up were as follows: four ears (28.6%) had complete relief; five ears (35.7%) showed satisfactory improvement; four ears (28.6%) showed significant but unsatisfactory improvement; and one ear (7.1%) was unchanged. The PET symptom questionnaire in the affected ears showed a significant reduction in autophony (p=0.047) and improvement in breathing sound conduction (p=0.047). There were no complications such as otitis media or occlusion symptom.
CONCLUSIONS
Transtympanic cartilage chip insertion into the ET provides a safe and accessible surgical option for the treatment of PET.

Keyword

Patulous Eustachian tube; Cartilage plug; Autophony; Aural fullness

MeSH Terms

Cartilage*
Ear
Eustachian Tube*
Follow-Up Studies
Humans
Methods
Otitis Media
Prospective Studies
Respiratory Sounds