A COMPARISON OF OTOENDOSCOPY WITH OTOMICROSCOPY FOR DIAGNOSTIC AND SURGICAL EVALUATION

Introduction: The tympanic membrane is the window into the middle ear, yet simply looking at it with the naked eye is insufcient to identify every condition. To visualize and document middle ear diseases, otologists now use an otomicroscope and an otoendoscope, which are required for surgical treatment [1]. Chronic Otitis Media is one of the common causes of hearing impairment and disability. The microscope revolutionized the surgical management of ear diseases, but the basic optical properties of the microscope have remained the same for the last 30 years [2]. The present study was intended to evaluate and compare the visualization of middle ear structures using an otomicroscope and 0 and 30-degree angled endoscopes in cases of Chronic Otitis Media (mucosal type) and also to make a surgical comparison in terms of advantages and disadvantages of the endoscope with the microscope in myringoplasty. Aims And Objectives: To visualize the middle ear structures by 0- and 30-degree angled endoscope and otomicroscope and to compare the results of endoscopic myringoplasty with that of myringoplasty done by using an operating microscope. Material And Methods: This was a comparative prospective study in which 100 patients, above the age of 15 years were examined by otomicroscopy and otoendoscopy. The visualization of various middle ear structures and the results of myringoplasty done with an endoscope and microscope were compared and statistically analysed. 30-degree angled endosc Results: ope provided better visualization of middle ear structures than with the microscope. Endoscopic myringoplasty showed good results in terms of accessibility, duration of surgery, postoperative pain, and cosmesis. Otoendoscopy provided better visualization of various middle ear Conclusion: structures as well as showed good outcomes in surgical aspects. Thus, endoscopes can be utilized for better diagnosis, and it can be a good alternative to microscopic myringoplasty