Paranasal Sinus Visualization Capabilities of a Novel Articulating Rigid-Flexible Endoscope: A Cadaveric Study

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Medical Imaging
• Surgical Instrumentation

Background:

• Rigid endoscopes are standard for endoscopic sinus surgery but have visualization limitations.
• Traditional rigid and flexible endoscopes present challenges in navigating complex sinus anatomy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the visualization capabilities of a new articulating rigid-flexible endoscope.
• To compare its performance against standard rigid and flexible nasal endoscopes.

Main Methods:

• An articulating endoscope was tested against 0- and 30-degree rigid endoscopes and a flexible nasopharyngoscope.
• Visualization of predefined landmarks in cadaveric maxillary, sphenoid, and frontal sinuses was assessed.
• Image guidance was used to place markers at anatomical landmarks.

Main Results:

• The articulating endoscope demonstrated significantly superior visualization across all sinuses (p < 0.01).
• It achieved 100% visualization of frontal sinus landmarks post-Draf IIa, outperforming other scopes (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• The articulating rigid-flexible endoscope offers enhanced visualization of paranasal sinus anatomy.
• It represents a significant improvement over standard endoscopes for surgical navigation and landmark identification.