Endoscopic Management of Pediatric Chronic Ear Disease.

Pediatric chronic ear disease and its sequelae often necessitate surgical intervention, such as ear tube insertion, ossiculoplasty, tympanoplasty, and cholesteatoma removal. Although these procedures have traditionally been performed with the microscope, use of rigid endoscopes provides an alternative method for visualization. The endoscope offers improved visualization of the middle ear space and adjacent structures and can either be used alone to perform surgery through the ear canal or together with the microscope if mastoidectomy is required. Endoscopic ear surgery can reduce the need for a postauricular incision or mastoidectomy while resulting in equivalent hearing outcomes compared with those performed with the microscope. In addition, use of the endoscope is associated with lower rates of residual disease following primary cholesteatoma procedures.