An Otologic Study Model

ONE of the most difficult surgical techniques to which one must adapt is microscopic surgery. Nowhere is this more exemplified than in modern otologic surgery. Since the introduction of the operating microscope in 1939 by George E. Shambaugh, Jr., MD, otology has come a long way. The practice of using the nondominant hand for long-practiced everyday procedures, eg, shaving and eating, to develop ambidextrous facility is a common practice. But this may not be sufficient when dealing with microscopic structures which may be highly magnified and must be manipulated with pinpoint accuracy while the operator peers through a microscope.

The resident or otolaryngologist embarking in otologic surgery must spend many tedious hours on temporal bone anatomy. There is no substitute for repeated temporal bone dissection and study. This study never ceases if one is to continue in the practice of otology. Unfortunately, cadaver material is not always as plentiful as