Otology

Otology, presented by Mr. Iain McKay-Davies, is a critical field focusing on various surgical procedures to address ear-related conditions, including hearing loss and balance disorders. This chapter covers a range of otologic surgeries such as myringotomy and ventilation tube placement, tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy, stapedotomy, ossiculoplasty, cochlear implantation, labyrinthectomy, vestibular nerve section, and bone-anchored hearing aids (BAHAs). Each procedure has specific indications, steps, risks, and post-operative care requirements. The chapter emphasizes the importance of precise surgical techniques and post-operative management to ensure optimal patient outcomes. Each procedure has a set of questions that a consultant may ask a trainee about the procedure itself. For every surgical procedure, the patient should have an audiogram performed within the last 3 months of surgery. The use of a facial nerve monitor is now the gold standard whenever injury to the nerve is considered. A CT scan of the temporal bones/mastoid is used for many operations to help with the planning of the operation, to identify anatomical anomalies, and to help provide informed consent.