Eustachian Tube Function Symptoms in Palatal Surgeries for OSA: 3‐Month Postoperative Analysis

Abstract

ObjectivesTo assess the influence of different soft palate surgeries for obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) on eustachian tube function symptoms, considering various potential factors.MethodsA prospective, cohort study was conducted on patients who underwent isolated palatal surgeries for OSA at a single academic medical center between 2017 and 2022. Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire (ETDQ‐7) were assessed at baseline, 1‐month, 2‐month, and 3‐month time points. Patients with retropalatal obstruction underwent tailored surgeries: anterior palatoplasty (AP), expansion sphincter palatoplasty (ESP), or barbed palatoplasty (BP). Baseline OSA severity between baseline and follow‐up time points were also examined.ResultsIn this study, 96 patients with OSA were enrolled and allocated to three surgical groups: AP (n = 30), ESP (n = 32), and BP (n = 34). The mean age was 44.3 ± 10.2 years, with 86% male participants. No significant differences were found between the groups in terms of age, sex, and BMI. A two‐way repeated measures ANOVA revealed a significant main effect of time on ETDQ‐7 scores (p < 0.001), but no significant main effect of groups (p = 0.109) or interaction between time and groups (p = 0.082). Subgroup analysis showed a significant interaction for the 3‐month change in ETDQ‐7 scores by OSA severity (p = 0.046). In post hoc analysis, the BP group exhibited a higher mean ETDQ‐7 score compared with the AP group at the 3‐month follow‐up.ConclusionThis study highlights the importance of considering individual patient factors, such as OSA severity and eustachian tube function symptoms, when selecting the most appropriate surgical treatment to optimize outcomes.Level of Evidence4 Laryngoscope, 2023