A myringotomy and ventilating tube applicator: New look at a five century old procedure

ABSTRACT

@#<p style="text-align justify;"><strong>OBJECTIVES:</strong> To fabricate a single instrument that can be used to perform myringotomy and insert a pressure equalizing tube at almost the same time.<br /><br /><strong>METHODS</strong> <br /><strong>Design:</strong> Surgical Instrumentation</p> <p><strong>Setting:</strong> Tertiary Private Hospital</p> <p style="text-align justify;"><strong>Subject</strong> A chicken egg membrane was used as a tympanic membrane model<br /><br /><strong>RESULTS:</strong> The fabricated instrument was able to perforate the egg membrane and apply the modified polyethylene pressure equalizing tube in less than one minute without complications.<br /><br /><strong>CONCLUSION:</strong> The prototype applicator can facilitate myringotomy and pressure equalizing (PE) tube insertion at only a fraction of the time it usually takes to do the standard myringotomy and subsequent ventilating tube insertion.</p>