Recent applications of the endoscopy in ear surgery

Microsurgery of the middle ear is. traditionally performed under the operating microscope, which provides only a straight line of view resulting in certain blind pockets during middle ear surgery. The development of fiberoptic endoscopes has enabled the otorhinolaryngologists to visualize areas in the middle ear cleft which were not clear before, many advantages for the endoscopic ear surgery were encountered better visualization and it can be performed under local anaesthesia, as an outpatient procedure, with less operative time and postoperative morbidity. It has many indications like in cholesteatoma surgery to visualize the sinus tympani and epitympanic recess, and in second look procedure, it may avoid open surgery. It can be useful also in diagnosing and managing retraction pockets, visualization of the middle ear anomalies, searching for perilymphatic fistula, observation of the Eustachian tube, surgery of benign tumours of the middle ear and tumours of internal auditory canal. Otoendoscopy can be performed via transtympanic route, Eustachian tube, or postauricular 1 cm incision. To rule out residual tumour in the lateral aspect of the IAC in acoustic neuroma.Objectives: The aim of the work is to verify the recent applications of the endoscopy in ear surgery.