What Is Endoscopic Ear Surgery?

Endoscopic ear surgery is a minimally invasive technique of performing ear surgery with the use of surgical endoscopes. Traditionally, ear surgery is performed using the operative microscope but often this requires a large incision behind the ear and the removal of a significant amount of healthy mastoid bone before reaching the area of disease to remove the disease. This leads to a disruption of the normal physiology of the mastoid bone and middle ear.

Endoscopic ear surgery approaches aim to preserve more normal tissues as the surgery begins at the site of the disease and only small amounts of bone are removed in order to visualise the disease and remove it safely. Endoscopic ear surgeries are therefore generally associated with smaller incisions, less post-operative pain, and quicker recovery. Post surgery, patients do not need a compression bandage to be placed around their heads which conventional microscopic ear surgery usually requires.