Introduction:
Balloon dilation Eustachian tuboplasty (BET) for treatment of the tuba auditiva is an established procedure. The correct positioning of the catheter has been dependent on the subjective feeling of the user. A misposition, e.g. submucous via falsa or mucosal fold of the nasopharynx may occur. To date, no objective measurement method exists to verify the position of the catheter. The aim of this work was to establish a practicable method for checking the right position of the BET.
Methods:
Examinations were performed on eight ears of four human cadavers. Measurement registered the acoustic signals in the auditory canal, triggered by the balloon catheter. The controls used an incorrectly positioned catheter.
Results:
The sound caused by the insertion and removal of the balloon catheter as well as the hydrostatic dilatation were neither specific nor reliably reproducible. Fast pneumatic balloon fillings produced a characteristic crackling sound that indicated the correct catheter position in all subjects.
Conclusion:
The derivation of acoustic signals in the auditory canal could help to improve the quality assurance of the BET.
