Ossicular fixation, caused by lesions or aging, impairs sound transmission and leads to conductive hearing loss. While surgical intervention is effective, the intraoperative assessment of ossicular mobility relies on subjective methods, highlighting a clinical need for a quantitative evaluation tool. Our laboratory previously developed a device that quantifies the mobility by vibrating the ossicles and measuring the reaction force. However, the original probe design was incompatible with the increasingly common transcanal endoscopic approach, presenting challenges in securing the surgical field and achieving adequate maneuverability. In this study, we modified the probe to address these limitations. Specifically, the probe was lengthened by 10 mm and an angle was incorporated at its tip. Evaluation of the modified probe demonstrated that it enabled precise and reproducible measurements not only in the targeted transcanal endoscopic approach but also in the conventional approach via a tympanic cavity opening. This advancement provides a versatile tool that facilitates quantitative, objective diagnosis across different ear surgery techniques, potentially improving surgical outcomes.
HAKOZAKI et al. (Wed,) studied this question.