Comparative Study on the Efficacy of Endoscopic Versus Microscopic Ear Surgery in the Management of Chronic Otitis Media
1Awais Abbas, 2Dr Muhammad Sharif Shahid, 3Dr Deepak Rai, 4Faiza Maqsood, 5Tahmoor Ghori, 6Zamin Abbas
Submission: 15 December 2025 | Acceptance: 10 January 2026 | Publication: 09 February 2026,
1PGR MS program, Allama Iqbal Medical College Jinnah Hospital, Lahore.
2Assistant professor ENT Nishtar Medical University Multan.
3Senior Registrar at Dow university of Health Science (Civil Hospital) Karachi.
4Assistant Professor, Bolan Medical College, Quetta.
5Bolan Medical College, Quetta.
6Hayatabad Medical Complex, Peshawar.
ABSTRACT:
Background: Chronic Otitis Media (COM) is an in-sustaining inflammatory middle ear process which requires most times surgery. The conventional follow-up method is traditional microscopic ear surgery which has been held as the norm; however, the development of the endoscopic techniques has provided a less invasive list of options with possible advantages in view, rehabilitation, and results.
Objective: The aim of the study will be to compare the **efficacy** of endoscopic ear surgery against microscopic ear surgery in the treatment of Chronic Otitis Media in regard to surgical outcome, duration of the operation, postoperative recovery, and complications.
Methods: This comparative one was run at the Allama Iqbal medical college in Jinnah hospital, Jinnah city, between March, 2024 and February, 2025. The patients were 90 in number and had been diagnosed with Chronic Otitis Media, of which 90 were isolated into two arms, group A, where surgery was conducted using an endoscope, and group B, where patients were treated using a microscope. Demographic data of patients, the surgical duration, intraoperative visibility, postoperative pain, length of stay in hospital, hearing results and rates of complications were documented and measured.
Results: A statistically significant shorter time of surgery and reduced postoperative pain was noticed with endoscopic surgery than in the microscopic surgery (p < 0.05). The uptake success rates also compared on both groups with Group A having 93.3 and Group B at 91.1. The air-bone gap closure as the measure of hearing improvement was a little more in endoscopic group albeit statistically not significant. Nonsignificant intraoperative complications were not noted in either group, but slight bleeding occurred in the microscopic group more often.
Conclusion: Endoscopic ear surgery appeared to be a possible and effective method as an alternative to traditional methods of treatment with a microscope in the treatment of Chronic Otitis Media. It had potential benefits regarding decreasing operations time, postoperative pain, and comparable clinical results. The use of endoscopic methods has the potential to increase the accuracy of surgery and customer satisfaction with otologic surgery.
Keywords: Chronic Otitis Media, Endoscopic Ear Surgery, Microscopic Ear Surgery, Tympanoplasty, Hearing Improvement, Graft Uptake.