Efficacy of concurrent balloon eustachian tuboplasty in the treatment of chronic otitis media with effusion in children with tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy

Objective: This study aims to explore the clinical effects of simultaneous balloon eustachian tuboplasty (BET) in treating chronic secretory otitis media (COME) in children with bilateral tonsil and adenoid hypertrophy (TAH), providing a theoretical basis for the clinical application of BET.

Methods: From January 2023 to January 2024, 30 children diagnosed with COME and bilateral TAH were included in this retrospective study at our hospital. The cohort comprised a total of 55 affected ears. Sixteen patients (28 affected ears) were assigned to the study group, which underwent bilateral ablation of tonsils and adenoids (ATA) combined with tympanostomy tube insertion (TTI) and BET. Fourteen patients (27 affected ears) were assigned to the control group, which received bilateral ATA and TTI only. The observation indicators included otolaryngology specialist examinations, imaging assessments, endoscopic evaluations, hearing examinations, and efficacy assessments.

Results: All surgeries were performed successfully without significant complications. Within 48 h post-surgery, none of the patients experienced noticeable dizziness, vomiting, earache, or other discomforts. The proportion of symptom improvement in the study group was significantly higher than in the control group (P < 0.001). Additionally, the proportion of tympanogram type A in the study group was significantly greater than that in the control group (P = 0.004). Six months post-operation, the air conduction (AC), bone conduction (BC), and air-bone gap (ABG) values in the study group were significantly lower than those in the control group (all P < 0.05). Furthermore, the effective rate in the study group six months after the operation was significantly higher than that in the control group (P < 0.001).

Conclusion: This study confirms the near-term efficacy and safety of the combined approach of ATA, TTI, and BET in treating children with COME. It provides valuable clinical experience and a theoretical foundation for the application of BET in this patient population.