Comparison of Outcomes of Endoscopic and Microscopic Ear Surgery in the treatment of chronic otitis media
1Dr.Ubaidullah, 2Umar Tipu, 3Mansoor Musa, 4Qamar Abbas, 5Isma Abbas, 6Dr Mian Amer Majeed
Submission: 12 January 2026 | Acceptance: 04 February 2026 | Publication: 15 March 2026,
1Assistant Professor, ENT Department, Saidu Group of Teaching Hospital, Saidu Sharif swat
2Mayo Hospital Lahore
3Sir Gangaram Hospital Lahore
4UHS, Lahore
5Services Hospital Lahore
6CMH Kharian Medical College, Kharian Cantt
Abstract
Background:
Chronic otitis media (COM) is a chronic inflammatory condition of the middle ear related to frequent infections, perforation and conductive hearing loss. Microscopic ear surgery (MES) and endoscopic ear surgery (EES) are both popular methods of doing ear surgery, although their relative results are still debated.
Aim:
Compared to endoscopic surgery, microscopic surgery is applied in patients with chronic otitis media to evaluate the success of the surgery, the resolution of hearing, and postsurgery complications.
Methods:
A randomized controlled trial was performed on 120 patients with COM who were treated with either EES (n=60) or MES (n=60). The compared parameters were graft success rate, hearing gain, operation time, hospitalization and complications.
Results:
Endoscopic surgery showed improved graft success (91.7% vs. 83.3%) and greater increase in hearing (mean gain 18.4 dB vs. 14.2 dB) than microscopic surgery. EES also led to less operating time and shorter hospital stay. The two groups had lower but not significantly different rates of complications.
Conclusion:
Endoscopic ear surgery is more visualized, have better graft success and better hearing outcomes than microscopic surgery with the added advantage of reduced operation time and hospital stay.
Keywords: Chronic otitis media, Endoscopic ear surgery, Microscopic ear surgery, Tympanoplasty, Hearing improvement.