Byung Chul Kang1, Woo Seok Kang2, Jun Woo Park2, Jung-Hoon Park3, Kun Yung Kim4, Ho-Young Song3, Hong Ju Park2. 1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, Korea. 2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 3. Department of Radiology and Research Institute of Radiology, Asan Medical Center, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. 4. Department of Radiology, Chonbuk National University Hospital, Jeonju, Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: To measure the diameter of inflated balloons at different pressures during Eustachian tube (ET) balloon dilation under fluoroscopic guidance. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary academic referral centre. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen patients who underwent ET balloon dilation with use of a balloon catheter, 20 mm long and 6 mm in diameter, under combined endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Degrees of inflation at three different portions (proximal, middle and distal) of the balloon at controlled pressures (3, 5, 8 and 10 atmospheres [atm]) and at the maximum pressure manually applied. RESULTS: The mean proximal, middle and distal diameters of the inflated balloons were 5.3 ± 0.4 mm, 5.3 ± 0.4 mm and 4.9 ± 0.5 mm at 10 atm. The distal diameters were significantly smaller than middle and proximal diameters at all the pressures (P < 0.01). When compared to the distal diameter (100%, 4.9 ± 0.5 mm) at 10 atm, the distal diameters were 73% (3.6 ± 0.6 mm) at 3 atm, 88% (4.3 ± 0.5 mm) at 5 atm and 96% (4.7 ± 0.4 mm) at 8 atm. The distal diameter (4.1 ± 0.3 mm) at the maximum pressure manually applied was in between those at 3 and 5 atm. CONCLUSIONS: The distal diameter of the balloon increased significantly as a function of the pressure and most (88%) inflation occurred at a low pressure of 5 atm, which was sufficient to inflate the distal diameter of the balloon more than 3 mm. The manual pressurisation could inflate a balloon by as much as could be expected, at between 3 and 5 atm.
OBJECTIVES: To measure the diameter of inflated balloons at different pressures during Eustachian tube (ET) balloon dilation under fluoroscopic guidance. DESIGN: Prospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary academic referral centre. PARTICIPANTS: Eighteen patients who underwent ET balloon dilation with use of a balloon catheter, 20 mm long and 6 mm in diameter, under combined endoscopic and fluoroscopic guidance. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Degrees of inflation at three different portions (proximal, middle and distal) of the balloon at controlled pressures (3, 5, 8 and 10 atmospheres [atm]) and at the maximum pressure manually applied. RESULTS: The mean proximal, middle and distal diameters of the inflated balloons were 5.3 ± 0.4 mm, 5.3 ± 0.4 mm and 4.9 ± 0.5 mm at 10 atm. The distal diameters were significantly smaller than middle and proximal diameters at all the pressures (P < 0.01). When compared to the distal diameter (100%, 4.9 ± 0.5 mm) at 10 atm, the distal diameters were 73% (3.6 ± 0.6 mm) at 3 atm, 88% (4.3 ± 0.5 mm) at 5 atm and 96% (4.7 ± 0.4 mm) at 8 atm. The distal diameter (4.1 ± 0.3 mm) at the maximum pressure manually applied was in between those at 3 and 5 atm. CONCLUSIONS: The distal diameter of the balloon increased significantly as a function of the pressure and most (88%) inflation occurred at a low pressure of 5 atm, which was sufficient to inflate the distal diameter of the balloon more than 3 mm. The manual pressurisation could inflate a balloon by as much as could be expected, at between 3 and 5 atm.