ISRCTN ISRCTN50406162
DOI https://doi.org/10.1186/ISRCTN50406162
Secondary identifying numbers §97/2017
Submission date
21/11/2017
Registration date
23/11/2017
Last edited
14/11/2022
Recruitment status
No longer recruiting
Overall study status
Completed
Condition category
Ear, Nose and Throat
Prospectively registered
Protocol
Statistical analysis plan
Results
Individual participant data
Record updated in last year

Plain English summary of protocol

Background and study aims
Secretory otitis media is an ear condition where fluid accumulates behind the eardrum and remains there after an ear infection or blockage of the eustachian tube that drains fluid from the ears. Balloon Eustachian tuboplasty (BET) is a potential treatment option where a balloon is inserted into the Eustachian tube, inflated, then withdrawn. About 70-80% of adult patients seem to benefit from BET, at least briefly. Strong evidence of its long-term effectiveness is required. The aim of this study is to assess the effectiveness of BET in patients withlong-term Eustachian tube dysfunction.

Who can participate? 
Patients with persistent secretory otitis media or Eustachian tube dysfunction

What does the study involve? 
Participants are randomly allocated to be treated with either BET or sham surgery under local anaesthetic. Ear examinations are carried out 3 and 12 months after the operation.

What are the possible benefits and risks of participating?
There may be no direct benefit for the patient but the information revealed from this study will help improve the treatment of people with ETD. There are no known severe risks associated with BET.

Where is the study run from? 
1. Helsinki University Hospital (Finland)
2. Tampere University Hospital (Finland)
3. Turku University Central Hospital (Finland)

When is the study starting and how long is it expected to run for? 
January 2017 to May 2022

Who is funding the study? 
1. State funding for university level health research (Finland)
2. Research Foundation for ENT Disorders (Finland)

Who is the main contact? 
Dr Saku Sinkkonen

Contact information

Dr Saku Sinkkonen
Scientific

Kasarmikatu 11-13
Helsinki
00029
Finland

ORCiD logoORCID ID 0000-0002-6601-4216

Study information

Study designProspective blinded placebo-controlled multi-centre study
Primary study designInterventional
Secondary study designRandomised controlled trial
Study setting(s)Hospital
Study typeTreatment
Participant information sheet Not available in web format, please use the contact details to request a patient information sheet
Scientific titleEfficacy of balloon Eustachian tuboplasty - prospective, blinded and placebo-controlled multi-centre study
Study acronymEBET
Study objectivesBalloon Eustachian tuboplasty (BET) offers benefit to patients with persistent secretory otitis media, severe symptoms of Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) or baro-challenged ETD.
Ethics approval(s)Tampere University Hospital Ethics Committee, 02/05/2017, ref: R17040
Health condition(s) or problem(s) studiedPersistent secretory otitis media, severe symptoms of ETD or baro-challenged ETD
InterventionParallel-group randomisation is made after local anaesthesia induction before the operation. Patients are treated with either BET or sham surgery under local anaesthesia. The patients are blinded to the procedure. Postoperative controls are arranged 3 and 12 months after operation in a blinded manner by a physician not given the treatment.
Intervention typeProcedure/Surgery
Primary outcome measureMeasured at baseline, 3 months and 1 year:
1. Valsalva maneuver based on physicians descriptive findings
2. Otomicroscopy based on physicians descriptive findings
3. Tympanometry results classified as A, B and C type outcomes
4. Tubomanometry results based on the Eustachian tube opening and opening latency index
5. Need for grommets
Secondary outcome measuresQuality of life measured with disease specific questionnaire ETDQ7 at baseline, 3 months and 1 year
Overall study start date26/01/2017
Completion date31/05/2022

Eligibility

Participant type(s)Patient
Age groupAdult
SexBoth
Target number of participants165 (55 patients in each indication group)
Key inclusion criteriaAll patients in this study suffer from dilatory Eustachian tube dysfunction and are deemed suitable for BET. Possible indications are:
1. Persistent secretory otitis media
2. Severe symptoms of ETD
3. Baro-challenged ETD
Key exclusion criteria1. The occurrence of cleft palate in any form
2. Current ventilating grommet
3. Tympanic membrane perforation
4. Adhesive otitis
5. Cholesteatoma
6. Cystic fibrosis
7. Immotile cilia syndrome
8. Untreated nasal polyposis
9. Samter's triade
10. Untreated gastroesophageal reflux disease
11. Other mechanical obstruction in nasopharynx
Date of first enrolment27/11/2017
Date of final enrolment31/12/2020

Locations

Countries of recruitment

  • Finland

Study participating centres

Helsinki University Hospital
Surgical Hospital, Kasarmikatu 11-13
Helsinki
00029
Finland
Turku University Central Hospital
Kiinamyllynkatu 4–8
Turku
20521
Finland
Tampere University Hospital
Teiskontie 35
Tampere
33521
Finland

Sponsor information

Helsinki University Hospital
Hospital/treatment centre

Kasarmikatu 11-13
Helsinki
00029
Finland

ROR logo "ROR" https://ror.org/02e8hzf44

Funders

Funder type

Government

State funding for University level health research

No information available

Research Foundation for ENT Disorders

No information available

Results and Publications

Intention to publish date31/12/2023
Individual participant data (IPD) Intention to shareYes
IPD sharing plan summaryOther
Publication and dissemination planPlanned publication in a high-impact peer reviewed journal. Study protocol, statistical analysis plan, informed consent form, clinical study report and analytic code will be available immediately following publication.
IPD sharing planThe datasets generated and/or analysed during the current study during this study will be included in the subsequent results publication.

Editorial Notes

14/11/2022: The overall trial end date has been changed from 31/12/2022 to 31/05/2022 and the plain English summary has been updated to reflect this.