The Otorhinolaryngology service of the Doctor José Molina Orosa University Hospital, a center affiliated with the Ministry of Health of the Government of the Canary Islands, has performed the first tubal dilation interventions with a balloon of the Eustachian tube. This is a minimally invasive procedure indicated for patients with chronic obstruction that does not respond to conventional medical treatment.
The professionals of the team have carried out six interventions of this type, all with satisfactory results.
The technique is performed when other treatments for obstruction have not been effective and consists of introducing, via nasal endoscopy, a small balloon that allows the cartilaginous part of the Eustachian tube to be dilated, the duct that connects the middle ear with the back of the nose and the upper part of the throat. The objective is to promote the recovery of its physiological function and improve the ventilation of the middle ear.
This is a safe and minimally invasive procedure that offers rapid recovery compared to other surgical alternatives. It is mainly indicated for patients with a persistent sensation of blocked ear, ear pressure, chronic serous otitis, or barotrauma, always after specialist evaluation.
New diagnostic and surgical techniques
With the incorporation of this new technique, the Molina Orosa Hospital expands the specialty's portfolio of services and continues to advance in the implementation of innovative procedures that avoid patient referrals. In fact, since 2022, Otorhinolaryngology referrals have been reduced by 32%.
It should be noted that the service has undergone significant evolution in recent years with the incorporation of new, highly complex diagnostic and surgical techniques. Among these are parotid surgery, navigator-assisted nasosinusal endoscopic surgery, which provides greater precision and safety in complex interventions, as well as osteointegrated auditory implant surgery, to which balloon tubal dilation is now added, consolidating the service portfolio.
Increase in healthcare activity
This development has been accompanied by a significant increase in the service's healthcare activity. Since 2022, Otorhinolaryngology consultations have increased by 29.2%, from 6,476 to 9,021. Likewise, diagnostic and therapeutic tests have experienced a 62% growth. Compared to the 1,676 tests performed in 2022, 2,723 were performed last year, a figure that reflects greater diagnostic and resolution capacity. Furthermore, during this period, the specialized Nursing clinic was created, with nearly a thousand attendances in 2025.
Surgical activity has also registered notable growth, outpatient surgeries have increased by 76%, from 364 in 2022 to 640 in 2025, while inpatient surgery has increased by 75%, reaching 166 surgeries of this type throughout last year.
These data, along with the incorporation of two new specialists to the service and new nursing staff, highlight the sustained growth of Otorhinolaryngology and its commitment to incorporating new, increasingly advanced techniques and procedures that result in the continuous improvement of healthcare quality.
The head of the service, Antonio Martel, emphasizes this growth in both healthcare activity and surgical complexity. "We have incorporated procedures that until recently could not be performed in Lanzarote, thanks to the team's effort, the continuous training of professionals, and the hospital's commitment to new technologies with the aim of continuing to improve the service's capacity and allowing patients to access these more advanced treatments without leaving the island."
For his part, the manager of the island's Health Services, Pablo Eguia, underlines that this increase in activity "reflects the excellent work carried out by its professionals and the consolidation of a service that has undergone significant evolution in both resources and healthcare capacity."