While Kaylie believes the device will prove useful to many people who currently require ear tube surgery due to eustachian tube dysfunction, fluid in their ears, or chronic ear infections, he also cautions that there are some people for whom it will not be appropriate. Once the tube is open, the balloon is deflated and removed. The balloon is inflated, which opens the eustachian tube and allows air to flow through. Studies of the device showed “long-term normal eustachian function after the procedure.”ĭuring the minimally invasive procedure, a catheter is used to insert a small balloon through the nose and into the eustachian tube. “This new device has been shown to return the middle ear to normal and greatly eliminate middle ear pressure in properly selected patients,” he said. With the FDA-approved Aera system, children and adults with chronic eustachian tube dysfunction can opt for a simple, 10-minute procedure instead, Kaylie said. Recurrent eustachian tube dysfunction requires the surgical placement of tubes in the eardrum, which allows pressure to equalize in the middle ear. Stuffy ears and noses, hearing loss, ear pain and pressure, as well as ringing in the ears (tinnitus) can result.īlocked eustachian tubes can be relieved by nasal sprays and antihistamine tablets, which reduce inflammation and congestion. When the tube is blocked from a cold, sinus or nose problems, or ear infections, air can no longer pass through. “This allows you to equalize pressure” on either side of the eardrum, explained David Kaylie, MD, a Duke otolaryngologist. Normally, the tube is filled with air and opens when yawning or chewing. The eustachian tube is the main connection between the back of the throat and the middle of the ear.
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