A worthy technique for transcanal drilling during endoscopic ear surgery

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the necessity and effectiveness of a preplanned technique for drilling during transcanal endoscopic ear surgery. METHODS: Study design: Retrospective case series study from June 2011 to June 2015. Setting: Private tertiary care hospital. Patients: Eighty-five ears of 78 patients, age ranging from 9 to 57 years underwent transcanal endoscopic drilling for various types of pathology in their middle and external ear. Interventions: Application of a preplanned technique for transcanal drilling in endoscopic ear surgery that involved short timed drilling with use of intermittent irrigation and suction. Every events of the procedure were done one after another with the single hand of the surgeon. An attachment providing protecting sheath around rotating burr was used during each time of drilling. Main outcomes measure: Efficacy of such drilling technique in single handed endoscopic ear surgery. Presence of any postoperative thermal injury of facial nerve and any lacerated injury of skin of external ear. RESULTS: This preplanned technique was found suitable for transcanal endoscopic drilling with the single hand of the surgeon. Postoperative facial nerve palsy or laceration of skin of external ear was not noted in any patient. CONCLUSION: After using the present technique, transcanal endoscopic drilling could be done easily and safely with single hand of the surgeon.