USE OF ENDOSCOPES FOR CHRONIC EAR SURGERY IN CHILDREN

Objective: To determine whether an endoscopic second-look examination of the mastoid and middle ear could replace an open second-look mastoi dectomy. Design: Patients were examined endoscopically. The findings w ere compared with a standard open mastoidectomy procedure during the s ame operation. The mastoid can be inspected through a small postauricu lar incision and the middle ear can be inspected through a myringotomy incision or tympanomeatal flap. Patients: Ten patients aged 6 to 16 y ears. Results: Endoscopic findings correlated exactly with open mastoi dectomy findings in all cases. Conclusion: In light of this study an o pen second-look mastoidectomy may be avoided if minimal or no recurren t cholesteatoma is found during the endoscopic exploration. The use of the ridged endoscope has added another dimension to the standard micr osurgical techiques used in pediatric otology. The indications, techni ques, and findings of otoendoscopy in the management of chronic otitis media in children will be presented.