SUM HOSPITAL INTRODUCES ENDOSCOPIC BALLOON ESUTACHIAN TUBOPLASTY FOR THE FIRST TIME IN STATE

The Institute of Medical Sciences and SUM Hospital, faculty of medical sciences of the SOA Deemed to be University here, has introduced Endoscopic Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty, a procedure to deal with chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD), for the first time in Odisha.

            Dr. Radhamadhab Sahu, an expert in ENT and skull base surgery at the hospital has conducted six such procedures successfully in recent times, a SOA release said.

            The Eustachian tube, which exists to protect the middle ear from disease, ventilate the middle ear and take secretions away from the same, links the back of the nose to middle ear, controls pressure within the middle ear making it equal with the air pressure outside the body.

            ETD, which is known to affect about five per cent of the adult population, is the inability of the Eustachian tube to adequately perform its functions and the failure of its valve to open or close properly. It is normally closed but opens when a person swallows, yawns or chews something.

            Patients with ETD experience symptoms of ear pain and pressure, fullness, crackling or popping sounds, muffled hearing and pain or discomfort with barometric changes. Complications from untreated Eustachian tube dysfunction include otitis media, damage to middle ear, perforation of ear drum, collapse of ear drum, decreased hearing and cholesteatoma, the release said.

           Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty (BET) is a new , minimal invasive surgical option intended to provide relief to lacs of patient suffering from Chronic Eustachian Tube dysfunction

            During Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty procedure a flexible tube with deflated balloon is introduced in to the narrowed Eustachian tube through nose under endoscopic vision. The balloon was then inflated  up to 10 atmospheric pressure and kept for 2 minutes in inflated position. In this way balloon widens the tube and helps it to restore the function. The procedure involves no tissue removal , injections or implant, comparing to existing surgical options. BET has been used in west(USA, Europe) extensively and shown excellent short and long term results.

The balloon used in this procedure is from Eustacare which is the first ETD balloon product of India , is user friendly and available in very affordable price.