Patent ID: 8579973

Claim:
A method of treating a patient having at least one of otitus media with effusion, recurrent otitus media, chronic otitus media, Eustachian tube disfunction, patulous ET, chronic retraction of a tympanic membrane, ear congestion and ear infection, comprising: obtaining a device adapted for insertion into a Eustachian tube, said device comprising a shell, said shell comprising a proximal end, a distal end, and a tube extending from the proximal end to the distal end, the tube being closed in a resting position, and opened by air pressure differential between the ends when air pressure exerted at the proximal end is higher than air pressure exerted at the distal end and when air pressure exerted at the distal end is higher than air pressure exerted at the proximal end, and wherein the device is adapted for insertion into the Eustachian tube through a nasopharynx; inserting the device into a Eustachian tube of the patient through a nasopharynx of the patient; and immobilizing the device in the Eustachian tube.