BET for pars tensa retractions
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Feasibility study of Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty (BET) for grade 2 and 3 pars tensa retractions
IRAS ID
189163
Contact name
JW Rainsbury
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
Plymouth Hospitals NHS Trust
Clinicaltrials.gov Identifier
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 0 months, 1 days
Research summary
Retraction pockets (RPs) in the ear drum (tympanic membrane; TM) can progress to cause hearing loss, recurrent infections, or potentially destructive skin cysts in the ear. The main reason that RPs form is thought to be inadequate function of the Eustachian Tube (ET) that connects the ear to the back of the nose. Currently, ENT surgeons do not have an effective way to treat ET dysfunction, so RPs are treated with a variety of methods, including surgical reconstruction of the TM (tympanoplasty), although no treatment has been definitively proven to be effective. A promising treatment for other symptoms of ET dysfunction is to stretch the ET using a balloon passed in through the nose (Balloon Eustachian Tuboplasty; BET). This study aims to assess the feasibility of a larger Randomised Control Trial of BET for intermediate stage RPs of the ear drum.
REC name
South West - Cornwall & Plymouth Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
16/SW/0017
Date of REC Opinion
1 Feb 2016
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion