Endoscopic management of chronic otitis media and tympanoplasty.

The endoscope allows for better inspection for cholesteatoma in cases with chronic otitis media, better access to selective epitympanic poor ventilation and secondary selective chronic otitis media, better visualization of anterior poor ventilation of the mesotympanum (reestablishing adequate ventilation to the mesotympanum), better visualization and reconstruction of anterior tympanic membrane perforations, allows use of Sheehy's lateral graft tympanoplasty through a transcanal approach, and increases the odds of preoperative detection of ossicular chain disruption associated with perforations.