Endoscopic Ear surgery

Overview

In contrast to the simplicity with which the endoscope has been adopted for the practice of sinus surgery in recent decades, the use of the endoscope for middle ear surgery has been a very controversial topic within the field of otology. Currently, surgical operating microscopes are mostly utilized to examine the ear.

However, while modern equipment provides exceptional imaging of the surgical field while allowing both binocular vision and leaving both the surgeon's hands free, visualisation of cavities located far down the canal in the middle ear is clearly limited. 

In contrast to the otomicroscope, the otoendoscope's source of light is located at the distal end of the instrument, ensuring optimum visibility. Angled lenses provide a broader view of the operating region. The external ear canal (EAC) has been turned into an operational portal thanks to transcanal endoscopic procedures.