Objective: To demonstrate the efficacy of transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) for congenital middle ear anomalies.
Study design: Retrospective case review.
Setting: Tertiary referral center.
Patients: Twenty-one patients ranging in age from 4 to 62 years old (median: 15 yr) who underwent TEES between 2011 and 2017 were compared with 19 patients ranging in age from 3 to 49 years old (median: 11 yr) who underwent microscopic ear surgery (MES) between 2000 and 2011.
Intervention: Ossiculoplasty or stapes surgeries were performed with TEES or MES. TEES was performed using a rigid endoscope with an outer diameter of 2.7-mm coupled with a full high-definition video system. MES was performed via a transcanal approach with a retroauricular incision.
Main outcome measure: Middle ear anomaly classification, operating time, and hearing outcomes based on the American Academy of Otolaryngology and Head and Neck Surgery criteria were evaluated and compared between the TEES and MES groups.
Results: For Teunissen and Cremers class III anomalies, defined as ossicular chain malformations with a mobile stapes footplate, postoperative air-bone gap closure to 10 dB or less was achieved in 50% of the TEES group and 47% of the MES group. Postoperative air-bone gap closure to 20 dB or less was achieved in 86% of the TEES group and 100% of the MES group. No significant difference was found in the operating time between the two groups. All MES procedures required a retroauricular incision.
Conclusion: Our results indicate that TEES has similar auditory outcomes compared with MES while avoiding a retroauricular incision.