Learning Objectives: To endoscopically examine surgical results for chronic otitis media after endoscopical ear surgery comparing with mocroscopic ear surgery

Introduction: Middle ear surgery has commonly been treated using a surgical microscope. A binocular stereomicroscope has often been used in ear surgery because this instrument offers many advantages including binocular stereoscopic vision of the surgical field; no obstruction of the view by blood, mucus, or bone dust on the lens; high magnification, besides being hands-free. Conversely, the narrow-angle view is a disadvantage of using a microscope for middle ear surgery. Moreover, there are several blind areas behind important structures, such as the facial nerve, that cannot be avoided. The use of an endoscope can offer several advantages over the use of a microscope during middle ear surgery, particularly the wider field of view. Therefore, endoscopic ear surgery, especially transcanal approach, has been developing recently. The aim of this study is to endoscopically examine surgical results for chronic otitis media after endoscopical ear surgery comparing with mocroscopic ear surgery.

Methods: Sixty-nine consecutive patients who underwent tympanoplasty for chronic otitis media. Transcanal endoscopic ear surgery was performed in 25 patients, and postauricular incision microscopic ear surgery in 44. Hearing outcome of air conduction threshold, bone conduction threshold, air-bone gap was assessed.

Results: Surgical results of hearing levels after transcanal endoscopic ear surgery was significantly better than postauricular incision microscopic ear surgery. Transcanal endoscopic ear surgery is advantageous to approach to the attic and perform tympanoplasty for sound transmission.

Conclusions: Surgical results of transcanal endoscopic tympanoplasty for chronic otitis media were excellent.