Learning Objectives:
Introduction: Despite the routine use of endoscopes for various operations in the fields of rhinology and later laryngology, endoscopic ear surgery (EES) has gained widespread popularity only over the last ten years. Although EES has some disadvantages such as the inherent feature of being a one handed technique and necessity of frequent cleaning of the instruments it also offers some major advantages like direct illumination and wide field wiew through ear canal.
In this study we aimed to present our experience in EES procedures.
Materials: Charts of 33 patients who underwent various EES in our department were retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographic characteristics, surgery types, hearing results and complications were evaluated
Results: Mean follow up time was 8,2 (6–24) months. Endoscopic stapedotomy was performed in 13, endoscopic tympanoplasty and/or ossiculoplasty was performed in 9 patients. Hydroxyapatite bone cement was used to rebridge the defects between incus and stapes in 4 patients and a PORP was used for ossiculoplasty in one case. Inside out mastoidectomy with manibriostapediopexy using hydroxyapatite bone cement was performed in one case. In 10 patients endoscope assisted cochlear implantation was performed due to the difficult access to the round window under direct microscopic vision. Mean pre and postoperative air bone gaps (ABG) for stepedotomy operations were 29,1 ± 9,1 and 9,4 ± 6,8 dB respectively. Mean pre and post operative ABG for endoscopic tympanoplasty and/or ossiculoplasty operations 27,8 ± 10,7 and 11,3 ± 7,6 dB. No graft perforation or detoriation in hearing thresolds were seen in any of the cases.
Conclusion: Our results show that EES can safely be performed in the majority of the middle ear procedures with similar or better outcomes to conventional microscopic approach.
