Optical myringotomy knife

ABSTRACT

@#<p style="margin 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align justify; background-image initial; background-position initial; background-size initial; background-repeat initial; background-attachment initial; background-origin initial; background-clip initial; vertical-align baseline;"><b>Objective:</b> To describe an improvised optical myringotomy knife essential in creation of an incision in a myringotomy simulator.</p><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom .0001pt; text-align justify; line-height normal; mso-layout-grid-align none; text-autospace none;"><b>Methods:</b></p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space auto; text-align justify; line-height normal; mso-layout-grid-align none; text-autospace none; margin 0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b>Study Design: </b>Instrumental Innovation </p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space auto; text-align justify; line-height normal; mso-layout-grid-align none; text-autospace none; margin 0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b>Setting:          </b>Tertiary Private Hospital</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="mso-add-space auto; text-align justify; line-height normal; mso-layout-grid-align none; text-autospace none; margin 0in 0in .0001pt .5in;"><b>Subject</b>          None</p><p class="MsoNormalCxSpLast" style="margin-bottom .0001pt; mso-add-space auto; text-align justify; line-height normal; mso-layout-grid-align none; text-autospace none;"><b>Results:</b> The optical myringotomy knife was able to create incisions on mock membranes made up of polyethylene film (Cling Wrap) in a myringotomy simulator. The incisions measured approximately 2 mm with sharp edges indicating that the myringotomy knife was able to penetrate the mock membrane with ease. It provided good control in performing myringotomy incisions under endoscopic visualization of the tympanic membrane.  </p><p style="margin 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align justify; line-height 200%; background-image initial; background-position initial; background-size initial; background-repeat initial; background-attachment initial; background-origin initial; background-clip initial; vertical-align baseline;"> </p><p style="margin 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align justify; background-image initial; background-position initial; background-size initial; background-repeat initial; background-attachment initial; background-origin initial; background-clip initial; vertical-align baseline;"><b>Conclusion: </b>Our initial experience with this optical myringotomy knife for tympanostomy tube insertion suggests that it may greatly improve the performance of myringotomy especially among less experienced surgeons. Further studies may establish its accuracy and replicability <i>in vitro</i>, after which formal <i>in vivo</i> trials can be attempted.</p>