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. 2016 Oct;37(9):1418-22.
doi: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000001170.

The Use of an Ultrasonic Serrated Knife in Transcanal Excision of Exostoses

Affiliations

The Use of an Ultrasonic Serrated Knife in Transcanal Excision of Exostoses

Yarah M Haidar et al. Otol Neurotol. 2016 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: To describe a novel approach for excision of exostoses and evaluate the outcomes of transcanal excision of exostoses using ultrasonic serrated knife-assistance versus microosteotomes only.

Study design: Retrospective analysis.

Setting: Academic Tertiary Care Center.

Patients/interventions: Patients receiving a transcanal excision of exostoses between 2007 and 2016.

Main outcome measures: The outcomes and postoperative complications of 138 patients who received transcanal microosteotome only technique were compared to 10 patients who received transcanal excision of exostoses using ultrasonic serrated knife-assistance (Stryker Corporation, Kalamazoo, MI).

Results: A total of 175 ears in 128 patients underwent a transcanal microosteotome only technique. Of these, 11 (6.3%) developed an intraoperative tympanic membrane perforation. One developed anterior canal mobilization requiring prolonged (3 wk) packing. One hundred thirty-five ears (77%) were well healed by the 3-week postoperative visit. All but one ear was well healed by the 6-week visit. In comparison, 11 ears in 10 patients were treated for exostoses using a transcanal approach with the use of ultrasonic serrated knife and microosteotomes. One ear canal (the first in the series) was not well healed by the 3-week postoperative visit due to suspected thermal injury. All patients had well-healed ear canals by 6 weeks, and there were no complications.

Conclusion: This is the first series to report the use of an ultrasonic serrated knife in the transcanal excision of exostoses. When compared with a transcanal microosteotome only excision of exostoses, the addition of the Sonopet seems to result in a similarly low complication rate. Sonopet can allow for more controlled transcanal excision of broad-based exostoses in patients with severe obstruction.

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Conflict of interest statement

Disclosure: The authors have no conflicts of interest to report

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Image of the ultrasonic Sonopet with a serrated knife attachment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Ultrasonic serrated knife being used at the base of an exostosis to initiate the cut. The exostoses is the center of the view. The device is seen at the inferior part of the image. The suction port is seen at the left of the image.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Micro-osteotome used to complete the cut and mobilize the exostosis.

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