Abstract:Objective?To evaluate the effect of balloon eustachian tuboplasty on refractory otitis media with effusion. Methods?24 ears (15 patients) of refractory otitis media with effusion received balloon eustachian tuboplasty were included. Inclusion criteria: All the patients had tried for tympanostomy tube insertion at least 3 times but failed and duration of more than two years. The main measures included subjective symptoms, ear endoscopy, pure tone audiometry, acoustic impedance, CT scan. Results?All patients successfully accepted surgery. After 8 to 24 months later, by comparison the subjective symptoms, ear endoscopy, CT scan before and after surgery in patients found efficiency up to 95.8 %. After 10 to 24 months, pure tone audiometry showed the average air conduction hearing of impaired ear increased than the preoperative (P <0.05). The average air-bone gap of preoperative impaired ear was 36.15 dB, and the average air-bone gap of postoperative impaired ear was 14.35 dB (P <0.05). Of 83.3% impaired ear achieve type A tympanogram after surgery. But one case (1 ear) had no conscious increased hearing, ear fullness, type B tympanogram, and found the middle ear and mastoid cholesterol granuloma-like crystals by mastoid contour combining tympanostomy. Conclusion?The effect of balloon eustachian tuboplasty on refractory otitis media with effusion is significant, and intractable otitis media with effusion maybe one of the best indications for balloon eustachian tuboplasty.