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Robot-Assisted Transcanal Endoscopic Ear Surgery for Congenital Cholesteatoma
Published on: December 15, 2023
Preoperative planning for ear surgery using store-and-forward telemedicine.
John Kokesh1, A Stewart Ferguson, Chris Patricoski
1Alaska Native Medical Center, Otolaryngology, Anchorage, AK 99508-5926, USA. jkokesh@anmc.org
Summary
Store-and-forward telemedicine accurately plans major ear surgeries, matching in-person evaluations. This method is effective for scheduling procedures like tympanoplasty and mastoidectomy.
Area of Science:
- Otolaryngology
- Digital Health
- Surgical Planning
Background:
- Store-and-forward telemedicine, involving electronic consultations with clinical history, digital images, and audiology data, is increasingly utilized in healthcare.
- Accurate surgical planning is crucial for successful patient outcomes in otologic procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the efficacy of store-and-forward telemedicine in accurately planning elective major ear surgeries.
- To compare the accuracy of surgical planning and estimated operative times between telemedicine and in-person evaluations.
Main Methods:
- A case series with chart review was conducted at a tertiary care hospital.
- Elective major ear surgeries referred via store-and-forward telemedicine over 13 months were analyzed.
- Telemedicine recommendations were compared with in-person evaluations for surgical accuracy and operative time estimation.
Main Results:
- Forty-five telemedicine-referred ear surgeries (e.g., tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy) were matched with 45 in-person evaluations.
- Telemedicine accurately predicted the required surgery 89% of the time, compared to 84% for in-person evaluations.
- The difference between estimated and actual operative times was not statistically significant between telemedicine (32 minutes) and in-person (35 minutes) groups.
Conclusions:
- Store-and-forward telemedicine is a viable and effective tool for planning elective major ear surgery.
- The accuracy of surgical planning and time estimation via telemedicine is comparable to traditional in-person evaluations.
