In Saving the Canal Wall, can MERI and Otoendoscopes Help Take a Call?

Introduction The study was aimed to find out whether any correlation exists between Middle Ear Risk Index (MERI) and the diagnostic ability of otoendoscopes to help in the decision making to preserve the posterior canal wall in management of cases of chronic otitis media(COM) squamous type. Materials and Methods   Patients of chronic otitis media squamous active type were subjected to tympanomastoid surgery under the microscope and adjunctive use of otoendoscope. After proper disease clearance under microscope, otoendoscopes were taken as an adjunct to find out whether any residual disease was being left behind and to confirm whether the posterior canal wall could be preserved. Dubious cases in which the canal wall could be saved due to conclusive evidence of disease removal through the endoscope were taken as the ones being influenced by otoendoscopic decision-making. Results Patients having moderate MERI score were likely to have their canal walls spared by endoscopic evaluation. Discussion The percentage of residual disease detected with otoendoscopes were concurrent with other studies reporting similar figures. Conclusion The otoendoscope is decidedly more helpful in conclusive decision making in  preserving the posterior canal wall in a case of chronic otitis media.