Bariatric Surgery and Its Association with Patulous Eustachian Tube: A Single-Center Observational Study

Monday, October 13, 2025

1:24 PM - 1:30 PM EDT

Location: 242

Disclosure(s):

Hiram H. Plata-Huerta, MD:

faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Introduction: It has been hypothesized that the loss of peritubal fat, commonly occurring during the peak weight loss period after bariatric surgery, may contribute to the development of patulous Eustachian tube(PET). This condition, characterized by abnormal patency of the Eustachian tube, can cause autophony and aural fullness.

Methods: We performed an observational and prospective study aimed at determining the incidence of PET three months after bariatric surgery. In this preliminary analysis, 29 participants were included. Mean age is 42.68 years, and 72.4% are women. Most(93.1%) underwent gastric bypass surgery, while the remainder had sleeve gastrectomy. The mean baseline body mass index(BMI) was 47.74. Common comorbidities included systemic arterial hypertension(64%), obstructive sleep apnea(66.7%), and hypercholesterolemia(37.5%). None of the patients had a history of prior otologic pathology. During follow-up, clinical and otoscopic evaluations were performed according to diagnostic criteria by de Japan Otological Society, along with the administration of the Eustachian Tube Dysfunction Questionnaire(ETDQ-7) at three time points: preoperatively, immediately postoperatively, and three months after surgery.

Results: The results demonstrated significant weight loss at three months, with a mean reduction of 22.49kg, equivalent to 18.72% of initial body weight. The mean BMI decreased from 43.78 to 37.8(p < .0001). Regarding the incidence of PET, no cases were confirmed during the follow-up period. While the ETDQ-7 questionnaire scores showed no statistically significant changes, the median score increased slightly from 10 at baseline to 11 at three months(p=.169), a change clinically irrelevant.

Conclusions: Our findings suggest that bariatric surgery in this preliminary cohort has not been associated with the development of PET during the peak weight loss period. This contrasts with previous studies reporting incidences of up to 20%. However, the relatively small sample size may limit the ability to detect less frequent or late-onset cases and we have yet to reach our study sample(n= 50).

Presenting Author(s)

Hiram H. Plata-Huerta, MD

MD
Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González
Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico

Disclosure(s):
faculty for this accredited education activity has no relationship(s) with ineligible companies to disclose.

Co-Author(s)

GM

Gerardo E. Muñoz-Maldonado, PhD, MD

General Surgery, "Dr. José Eleuterio Gonzalez" University Hospital at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León
Monterrey, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
JM

Josefina A. Morales-Del Ángel, MSc. MD

Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Hospital Universitario Dr. José Eleuterio González, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
LZ

Luis F. Zorrilla-Núñez, MD

General Surgery, "Dr. José Eleuterio Gonzalez" University Hospital at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León
Monterrey, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.
OL

Oscar A. Ledesma-Orta, MD

General Surgery, "Dr. José Eleuterio Gonzalez" University Hospital at the Autonomous University of Nuevo León, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.

Senior Author(s)

JT

Jose Luis Treviño-Gonzalez, MD PhD

Head of the Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery Division
Facultad de Medicina y Hospital Universitario ¨Dr. José Eleuterio González¨. Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, United States

Disclosure information not submitted.