Transcanal endoscopic ear surgery for management of ossicular malformation: clinical outcomes of 17 cases

Background: In recent years, transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) is known as an innovative and minimally invasive surgery. Aims: To clarify the usefulness of TEES for the ossicular malformation, we performed a retrospective study. Material and methods: We examined cases of ossicular malformation performed using TEES at our hospital between April 2015 and April 2020. Results: The hearing level results were countable for 16 cases. Post-operative hearing levels were significantly improved. Transient nausea, tongue paralysis, and taste disorders were observed; however, no other complications were observed. In 2015–2018, some of the cases required the assistance of a surgical microscope. In contrast, all the cases were performed by TEES after 2019 using a powered device to curve the canal. Conclusions and significance: TEES requires considerable training, and the sensation of depth is difficult to acquire. However, this less invasive method is also helpful for ossicular malformation cases.