Murugasu, Euan1,2; Muthukumarasamy, Nirmal1
1 Department of ENT-Head & Neck Surgery, Ng Teng Fong General Hospital, National University Health Systems (NUHS), SIngapore;
2 National University of Singapore (NUS), Singapore.
Introduction:
The advent of piezoelectric powered instrumentation in recent ears is seen as a useful adjunct for endoscopic ear surgery (EES) with more centers starting to employ the system in clinical practice. Asians typically have a narrower External Ear Canal (EAC) compared to Caucasians and it is not easy to get a good view of the tympanic membrane essential for a good surgical result and post operative recovery.
Methods:
In this video, we will demonstrate the set up, settings and use of the Mectron system in a typical EES operating session for tympanoplasty with canalpasty.
Discussion:
The Mectron system is useful for bony removal whilst preserving soft tissue structures eg nerves and skin flaps. One disadvantage is learning to operate underwater as the device requires a fluid medium to work in. There is a learning curve to using the Mectron but once that is acheived, the EES surgeon has a very safe and useful tool. The other important point is to minimise bleeding in the surgical field as the blood obscures the endoscopic view.
Conclusion:
The Mectron piezoelectric system is a safe and useful adjunct to EES, especially for bone removal over nerves and other soft tissue structures.