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Review
. 2025 Jan 27;17(1):e78101.
doi: 10.7759/cureus.78101. eCollection 2025 Jan.

History and Evolution of the Otoscope

Cody Suh  1 , Daniel Z Zhao  2 , Latha Ganti  3   4   5
Affiliations
Review

History and Evolution of the Otoscope

Cody Suh et al. Cureus. .

Abstract

This paper provides an in-depth review of the evolution of the otoscope in the medical field, examining its development through a historical lens. The otoscope has significantly revolutionized the field of otology, becoming an essential tool used globally by healthcare practitioners to identify ear, nose, and throat (ENT) disorders. It is commonly used to inspect the auditory canal for conditions such as cerumen impaction and acute otitis media. From its early conception focused on studying the middle ear to its present-day form, this paper explores the otoscope's rich history, highlighting key pioneers in its development and discussing its future implications in clinical practice.

Keywords: guy de chauliac; history of medicine; medical instrument; otolaryngology; otoscope.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of interest: In compliance with the ICMJE uniform disclosure form, all authors declare the following: Payment/services info: All authors have declared that no financial support was received from any organization for the submitted work. Financial relationships: All authors have declared that they have no financial relationships at present or within the previous three years with any organizations that might have an interest in the submitted work. Other relationships: All authors have declared that there are no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Visual diagram of a pneumatic otoscope (A) alongside a modern-day otoscope (B)
Source: [1].
Figure 2
Figure 2. Photograph of Fabricus Hildanus’ designs of the primitive otoscope
Source: [9].
Figure 3
Figure 3. Visual representation of the evolution of the ear speculum and otoscope
Source: [1].
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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