Page 267 - Clinical Manual of Small Animal Endosurgery

Chapter 9

Endoscopy of the

Canine and Feline

Ear: Otoendoscopy

David S. Sobel

Introduction

Of all of the applications for endoscopy and endoscopic surgery in small
animal practice, otoendoscopy is certainly one of the most common and
rewarding. Aural disease is a frequent presenting clinical problem to
primary care clinicians and represents a common cause of morbidity in
canine and feline practice. Otoendoscopy is one of the simplest endo-
scopic techniques to master and represents a cost-effective use of endo-
scopic equipment. The equipment used for otoendoscopy is simple and
straightforward, and often the endoscopic instrumentation is similar to
that for other common endoscopic procedures. For the purposes of this
chapter I will presume that the practitioner has a degree of comfort using
the standard handheld direct-view otoscope in the awake patient. Our
focus will be on the interventions available to the practitioner in using
endoscopy to further their diagnostic and therapeutic interventions.
Clinically, otoendoscopy is used to differentiate between otitis externa
(aural disease of the pinnae, and vertical and horizontal canals to the level
of the tympanic membrane) and otitis media. It is increasingly recognised
that otitis media is a common sequela or aetiology of otitis externa.
Otoendoscopy is used diagnostically to determine the causes of various
aural pathologies (retrieving samples of tissue or exudates for biopsy or
cytologic examination, retrieval of materials for bacterial or fungal
culture, visualisation of the tympanum). It is also used as an interventional

Clinical Manual of Small Animal Endosurgery, First Edition. Edited by Alasdair Hotston Moore and
Rosa Angela Ragni.
© 2012 Blackwell Publishing Ltd. Published 2012 by Blackwell Publishing Ltd.