Balloon Eustachian tuboplasty in a professional Navy SEAL diver: case report

Middle ear barotrauma due to dilatory Eustachian tube dysfunction (ETD) is probably the most common medical disorder related to diving. Moreover, ETD makes divers prone to other diving-related accidents, including inner ear barotrauma and alternobaric vertigo. Until the development of Eustachian tube balloon dilation no diving-compatible surgical options existed to effectively and safely prevent recurrence. We present a case of an Israeli Navy SEAL diver who dives in extreme strenuous combat-related closed-circuit rebreather (CCR) dives. Due to repeated middle ear barotrauma, the patient underwent Eustachian tube balloon dilation of the affected side. Following surgery, the patient returned to both CCR and scuba dives but still suffered from middle ear symptoms and repeated barotrauma hence was eventually disqualified from further combat diving.