Nasal Dilator Therapy for Patulous Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
25 août 2026 mis à jour par: Vrabec, Jeffrey M.D., The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Prospective PI-Initiated Study of Nasal Dilator Therapy in Patulous Eustachian Tube Dysfunction
The Eustachian tube connects the middle ear to the back of the nose and throat, providing ventilation of the middle ear. People with a patulous Eustachian tube perceive the tube stays open continuously. This can make a person's own voice and breathing sound unusually loud in the ear and can cause a feeling of fullness or blocked hearing. There is currently no agreed-upon first treatment for these symptoms.
Some people with this condition notice their symptoms improve when they gently pull the cheek outward to widen the nasal passage. A nasal dilator is a small, soft device worn just inside the nostrils that does something similar by holding the nasal passage more open. Nasal dilators are sold over the counter and are commonly used for stuffy nose and snoring. They have not been studied as a treatment for patulous Eustachian tube.
This study will look at whether wearing a nasal dilator reduces symptoms in adults with patulous Eustachian tube. About 50 adults treated at Houston Methodist will take part. Everyone in the study receives the nasal dilator; there is no placebo or comparison group.
Participants complete a 10-question symptom survey before using the device, again 10 minutes after putting it in for the first time, and once more at a follow-up clinic visit about 3 to 4 weeks later. Between visits, participants wear the device at home and keep track of how often they use it. At the follow-up visit they also answer questions about whether the device was comfortable and easy to use, and whether they had any side effects. Participation lasts about 3 to 4 weeks.
Aperçu de l'étude
Statut
Recrutement
Les conditions
Intervention / Traitement
Description détaillée
This is a single-arm, prospective, pre/post pilot study of a commercially available internal nasal dilator (Airmax) in adults with clinically confirmed patulous Eustachian tube dysfunction and a positive Cottle maneuver.
Symptom burden is measured with the Patulous Eustachian Tube Handicap Inventory-10 (PHI-10) at baseline, 10 minutes after first device application, and at a 3-4 week follow-up visit.
The study is intended to generate effect-size estimates to inform the design of subsequent controlled trials.
The device is over-the-counter, 510(k)-exempt, used without modification, and the study is exempt from IDE requirements under 21 CFR 812.2(c).
Type d'étude
Interventionnel
Inscription (Estimé)
50
Phase
- N'est pas applicable
Contacts et emplacements
Cette section fournit les coordonnées de ceux qui mènent l'étude et des informations sur le lieu où cette étude est menée.
Coordonnées de l'étude
- Nom: Stephanie Camey, BA
- Numéro de téléphone: 8327068834
- E-mail: scamey@houstonmethodist.org
Sauvegarde des contacts de l'étude
- Nom: Roger Neuberger, BS
- Numéro de téléphone: 361-945-1327
- E-mail: rneuberger@houstonmethodist.org
Lieux d'étude
-
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Texas
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Houston, Texas, États-Unis, 77030
- Recrutement
- Houston Methodist Hospital - Department of Otolaryngology-Head & Neck Surgery
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Contact:
- Stephanie Camey, BA
- Numéro de téléphone: 8327068834
- E-mail: scamey@houstonmethodist.org
-
Contact:
- Roger Neuberger, BS
- Numéro de téléphone: 361-945-1327
- E-mail: rneuberger@houstonmethodist.org
-
Chercheur principal:
- Jeffrey Vrabec, MD
-
-
Critères de participation
Les chercheurs recherchent des personnes qui correspondent à une certaine description, appelée critères d'éligibilité. Certains exemples de ces critères sont l'état de santé général d'une personne ou des traitements antérieurs.
Critère d'éligibilité
Âges éligibles pour étudier
- Adulte
- Adulte plus âgé
Accepte les volontaires sains
Non
La description
Inclusion Criteria:
- Adults aged 18 years or older
- Treated by a clinician in the Houston Methodist Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery
- Positive response to the Cottle maneuver
- Able and willing to provide informed consent
- Able to complete study surveys
- Willing to avoid starting new therapies directed at patulous Eustachian tube during the study window unless medically necessary
Exclusion Criteria:
- Active middle-ear disease at screening
- Significant nasal pathology precluding safe use of a nasal dilator
- Known intolerance or hypersensitivity to nasal dilators
- Any condition judged by the investigator to increase risk or confound assessments
- Unable to provide informed consent
- Cognitive impairment preventing completion of study surveys
- Non-English speaking, as the PHI-10 and study materials are currently available only in English
- Pregnant
- Prisoner
Plan d'étude
Cette section fournit des détails sur le plan d'étude, y compris la façon dont l'étude est conçue et ce que l'étude mesure.
Comment l'étude est-elle conçue ?
Détails de conception
- Objectif principal: Traitement
- Répartition: N / A
- Modèle interventionnel: Affectation à un seul groupe
- Masquage: Aucun (étiquette ouverte)
Armes et Interventions
Groupe de participants / Bras |
Intervention / Traitement |
|---|---|
|
Expérimental: Internal Nasal Dilator
Participants receive a commercially available internal nasal dilator (Airmax) at the baseline clinic visit, along with sizing, fitting, and hygiene instruction from trained study staff.
Participants apply the device during the visit and continue at-home use per the study wear schedule until the follow-up visit approximately 3 to 4 weeks later.
|
Single-patient-use, over-the-counter internal nasal dilator worn inside the nasal vestibule to laterally support the nasal valve and increase nasal cross-sectional area.
Devices are supplied in sealed retail packaging without modification.
Participants wear the device per the prescribed schedule from the baseline visit until the follow-up visit at 3 to 4 weeks.
Autres noms:
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Que mesure l'étude ?
Principaux critères de jugement
Mesure des résultats |
Description de la mesure |
Délai |
|---|---|---|
|
Change in Patulous Eustachian Tube Handicap Inventory-10 (PHI-10) score
Délai: Baseline and 3 to 4 weeks
|
The PHI-10 is a 10-item validated patient-reported instrument measuring symptom burden in patulous Eustachian tube.
Total scores range from 0 to 40, with lower scores indicating fewer symptoms.
The outcome is the change in total score from baseline to the follow-up visit.
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Baseline and 3 to 4 weeks
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Mesures de résultats secondaires
Mesure des résultats |
Description de la mesure |
Délai |
|---|---|---|
|
Acute change in PHI-10 score after first device application
Délai: Baseline and 10 minutes after first application
|
Change in PHI-10 total score from baseline to 10 minutes (±5 minutes) after the participant first applies the nasal dilator, assessing immediate symptom response.
Scores range 0 to 40; lower is better.
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Baseline and 10 minutes after first application
|
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Adherence to device wear
Délai: Baseline through 3 to 4 weeks
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Self-reported average hours of device wear per day and percentage of prescribed days on which the device was worn, collected at the follow-up visit.
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Baseline through 3 to 4 weeks
|
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Device usability and acceptability
Délai: 3 to 4 weeks
|
Participant ratings of comfort, ease of use, and willingness to continue use, each scored on a 5-point Likert scale ranging from 1 to 5, with higher scores indicating greater acceptability.
|
3 to 4 weeks
|
|
Global Rating of Change
Délai: 3 to 4 weeks
|
Single-item participant-reported rating of overall change in symptoms since baseline, collected at the follow-up visit.
|
3 to 4 weeks
|
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Number of participants with device-related adverse events
Délai: Baseline through 3 to 4 weeks
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Count of participants experiencing device-related adverse events, including nasal irritation, pressure discomfort, and epistaxis.
Assessed at first wear, at the follow-up visit, and by interim report between visits.
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Baseline through 3 to 4 weeks
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Collaborateurs et enquêteurs
C'est ici que vous trouverez les personnes et les organisations impliquées dans cette étude.
Les enquêteurs
- Chercheur principal: Jeffrey Vrabec, MD, The Methodist Hospital Research Institute
Publications et liens utiles
La personne responsable de la saisie des informations sur l'étude fournit volontairement ces publications. Il peut s'agir de tout ce qui concerne l'étude.
Publications générales
- Dinardi RR, de Andrade CR, Martins-Costa HC, Ibiapina Cda C. Does the Airmax(R) internal nasal dilator increase peak nasal inspiratory flow (PNIF) in adolescent athletes? Int J Pediatr Otorhinolaryngol. 2016 May;84:37-42. doi: 10.1016/j.ijporl.2016.02.023. Epub 2016 Feb 27.
- Mehta NK, Ma C, Nguyen SA, McRackan TR, Meyer TA, Lambert PR. Medical Management for Eustachian Tube Dysfunction in Adults: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. Laryngoscope. 2022 Apr;132(4):849-856. doi: 10.1002/lary.29878. Epub 2021 Oct 4.
- Luu K, Remillard A, Fandino M, Saxby A, Westerberg BD. Treatment Effectiveness for Symptoms of Patulous Eustachian Tube: A Systematic Review. Otol Neurotol. 2015 Dec;36(10):1593-600. doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000000900.
Dates d'enregistrement des études
Ces dates suivent la progression des dossiers d'étude et des soumissions de résultats sommaires à ClinicalTrials.gov. Les dossiers d'étude et les résultats rapportés sont examinés par la Bibliothèque nationale de médecine (NLM) pour s'assurer qu'ils répondent à des normes de contrôle de qualité spécifiques avant d'être publiés sur le site Web public.
Dates principales de l'étude
Début de l'étude (Réel)
22 avril 2026
Achèvement primaire (Estimé)
1 novembre 2026
Achèvement de l'étude (Estimé)
22 avril 2027
Dates d'inscription aux études
Première soumission
25 août 2026
Première soumission répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité
25 août 2026
Première publication (Réel)
31 août 2026
Mises à jour des dossiers d'étude
Dernière mise à jour publiée (Réel)
31 août 2026
Dernière mise à jour soumise répondant aux critères de contrôle qualité
25 août 2026
Dernière vérification
1 août 2026
Plus d'information
Termes liés à cette étude
Mots clés
Autres numéros d'identification d'étude
- PRO00042612
Plan pour les données individuelles des participants (IPD)
Prévoyez-vous de partager les données individuelles des participants (DPI) ?
NON
Description du régime IPD
Individual participant data will not be shared.
This is a single-site pilot study; data will be reported in aggregate form only.
Informations sur les médicaments et les dispositifs, documents d'étude
Étudie un produit pharmaceutique réglementé par la FDA américaine
Non
Étudie un produit d'appareil réglementé par la FDA américaine
Oui
produit fabriqué et exporté des États-Unis.
Oui
Ces informations ont été extraites directement du site Web clinicaltrials.gov sans aucune modification. Si vous avez des demandes de modification, de suppression ou de mise à jour des détails de votre étude, veuillez contacter register@clinicaltrials.gov. Dès qu'un changement est mis en œuvre sur clinicaltrials.gov, il sera également mis à jour automatiquement sur notre site Web .