Endoscopic techniques in tympanoplasty and stapes surgery.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Total endoscopic ear surgery is becoming more popular given the improved visualization of the middle ear and its related pathology as compared to the microscope. Whereas the endoscope has been used for close to two decades in cholesteatoma surgery with several significant studies, few studies have outlined the surgical outcomes, and also the complications, in patients undergoing endoscopic tympanoplasties and stapes surgeries. This review highlights those few studies.

RECENT FINDINGS: Few articles exist regarding endoscopic tympanoplasty and stapes procedures. In summarizing the literature over the previous 12 months, the perforation closure rate with total endoscopic ear surgery tympanoplasty is reported to range from 84.0 to 97.2%, with postoperative air-bone gaps ranging from 5.3 to 13.8 dB. As for endoscopic stapes, the rates of air-bone gap closures to under 10 dB are reported between 56.0 and 86.7%. Complication rates for both procedures are comparable to the microscopic literature.

SUMMARY: Although endoscopic tympanoplasty and stapes procedures appear to be well tolerated with comparable complication profiles to microscopic procedures, future studies exploring patient-centered outcomes, and also anticipated evolution of results, are warranted.