Tracheotomy versus tracheostomy, the need for lexicographical clarification.

In the healthcare field, the terms "traqueotomía" and "traqueostomía" are frequently used, often leading to confusion among professionals regarding the appropriate definition for each term or which one should be considered more correct in specific cases. A search was conducted for the terms "traqueotomía" and "traqueostomía" in general Spanish-language dictionaries such as the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (DRAE) and the Historical Dictionary of the Spanish Language of the Royal Spanish Academy (DHLE), as well as for the English terms "tracheotomy" and "tracheostomy" in English general dictionaries like the Oxford Dictionary, the Cambridge Dictionary, and the Collins English Dictionary. Additionally, searches were performed in medical dictionaries in both Spanish, specifically the Dictionary of Medical Terms of the National Academy of Medicine (DTM), and English, including the Farlex Dictionary. The terms were also explored using the Google search engine. Definitions were analyzed from both lexicographical and etymological perspectives. Definitions found in general dictionaries, in both Spanish and English, were found to be imprecise, limited, and ambiguous, as they mixed outdated indications with criteria that deviated from etymology. In contrast, definitions in medical dictionaries in both languages were more aligned with etymology. "Traqueotomía" strictly identifies the surgical procedure of creating an opening in the anterior face of the trachea. "Traqueostomía" identifies the creation of an opening that connects the trachea to the exterior, involving a modification of the upper airway by providing an additional entry for the respiratory pathway. "Traqueostomía" becomes the sole means of entry to the airway in total laryngectomies. Both terms can be used synonymously when a traqueotomía culminates in a traqueostomía. However, it is not appropriate to use the term "traqueostomía" when the procedure concludes with the closure of the planes and does not result in the creation of a stoma. Traqueostomas can be qualified with adjectives indicating permanence (temporary/permanent), size (large/small), shape (round/elliptical), or depth, without being linked to any specific disease or surgical indication. Not all permanent traqueostomas are the result of total laryngectomies, and they do not necessarily have an irreversible character systematically.

Impact of lymph node ratio and number of lymph node metastases on survival and recurrence in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to assess the impact of lymph node ratio (LNR) and number of positive lymph nodes (NPLN) on mortality and recurrence rates in patients with laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a retrospective multicenter international study involving 24 Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery divisions. Disease-specific survival (DSS) and disease-free survival (DFS) were evaluated as the main outcomes. The curves for DSS and DFS according to NPLN and LNR were analyzed to identify significant variations and establish specific cut-off values. RESULTS: 2507 patients met the inclusion criteria. DSS and DFS were significantly different in the groups of patients stratified according to LNR and NPLN. The 5-year DSS and DFS based on LNR and NPLN demonstrated an improved ability to stratify patients when compared to pN staging. CONCLUSION: Our data demonstrate the potential prognostic value of NPLN and LNR in laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma.

Comparison Study of FNAC Using the Milan System Cytopathology versus Definitive Histology for the Diagnosis of Salivary Gland Tumors.

INTRODUCTION: Salivary gland tumors (SGT) represent 6 to 8 percent of head and neck tumors. The cytologic diagnosis of SGT is performed by fine-needle aspiration cytology (FNAC) with variable sensitivity and specificity. The Milan System for Reporting Salivary Gland Cytopathology (MSRSGC) categorizes the cytological results and provides the risk of malignancy (ROM). The aim of our study was to evaluate the cytological findings with the definitive pathological findings to assess the sensitivity, specificity, and diagnostic accuracy of FNAC in SGT according to MSRSGC classification. METHOD: An observational, retrospective, single-center study was carried out at a tertiary referral hospital over a period of 10 years. Patients that underwent FNAC for major SGT and that have undergone surgery to remove the tumor were included. A histopathological follow-up was performed on the surgically excised lesions. Results from the FNAC were categorized into one of the six MSRSGC categories. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy of FNAC for determining benign and malignant cases were calculated. RESULTS: A total of 417 cases were analyzed. The cytological prediction of ROM was 10% in nondiagnostic, 12.12% in non-neoplastic, 3.58% in neoplasm benign group, 60% in AUS and SUMP groups, and 100% in suspicious and malignant group. The statistical analysis of sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value, and diagnostic accuracy for determining benign cases was 99%, 55%, 94%, 93%, and 94%, respectively, and for determining malignant neoplasm was 54%, 99%, 93%, 94%, and 94%, respectively. CONCLUSION: In our hands, MSRSGC is highly sensitive for benign tumors and highly specific for malignant tumors. The low sensitivity to differentiate malignant from benign cases makes it necessary to apply an adequate anamnesis, physical examination, and imaging tests to consider surgical treatment in most cases.

Role of Fibroblasts in Chronic Inflammatory Signalling in Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps-A Systematic Review.

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is an inflammatory disease of the nose and paranasal sinuses characterized by the presence of nasal polyps. The symptoms produced by the presence of nasal polyps such as nasal obstruction, nasal discharge, facial pain, headache, and loss of smell cause a worsening in the quality of life of patients. The source of the nasal polyps remains unclear, although it seems to be due to a chronic inflammation process in the sinonasal mucosa. Fibroblasts, the main cells in connective tissue, are intimately involved in the inflammation processes of various diseases; to this end, we carried out a systematic review to evaluate their inflammatory role in nasal polyps. Thus, we evaluated the main cytokines produced by nasal polyp-derived fibroblasts (NPDF) to assess their involvement in the production of nasal polyps and their involvement in different inflammatory pathways. The results of the review highlight the inflammatory role of NPDF through the secretion of various cytokines involved in the T1, T2, and T3 inflammatory pathways, as well as the ability of NPDF to be stimulated by a multitude of substances. With these findings, the fibroblast is positioned as a new potential therapeutic target in the treatment of CRSwNP.

Tracheostomy Patient Care Unit. An innovative Otorhinolaryngology solution of a transversal nature for the hospital.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: The care of tracheostomized patients are high risk skills and low incidence. Strategies for improvement of health care in hospital wards and specialties other than otolaryngology based solely on training have not been able to offer an adequate solution. A tracheostomized patient unit is presented directed by the otolaryngology service to attend all tracheostomized hospitalised patients of all specialties. MATERIAL AND METHODS: Background: Third level public hospital with 876 hospitalisation beds and 30 ICU beds for 481,296 inhabitants. Unit model: Transversal unit for the hospital providing attention to all tracheostomized patients, adults, and children, of all specialties, with dedication of 50% of a ENT nurse of hospitalisation that moves to the hospitalisation bed of the specialty of each patient and 50% of another office ENT nurse for ambulatory patients care, with the consultancy of an ENT specialist and coordinated by the ENT supervisor. RESULTS: 572 patients between 2016 and 2021, 80% men, aged 63 ± 14 years, were attended in the Unit. 14.7 ± 2 tracheostomized patients daily and 96 ± 4 complication annual consultations were attended, rising up to 19 tracheostomized patients daily by 2020 and 141 ± 8.4 consultations by complications in 2020 and 2021, during the COVID-19 pandemic. The mean stay of the non-ENT specialties was reduced in 13 days, increasing the satisfaction of the ENT and non-ENT professionals and the satisfaction of the users. CONCLUSIONS: A Tracheostomized Patient Care Unit proactively directed from the Otorhinolaryngology Service to transversally care for all tracheostomized patients improves the quality of health care by reducing stay, complications, and emergencies. Improves the satisfaction of non-otolaryngological professionals by reducing the anxiety of facing care of patients who lack knowledge and experience and that of ENT specialists and nurses by reducing unplanned extemporaneous demands for care. Improves user satisfaction by perceiving adequate continuity of care. The Otorhinolaryngology Services provide their experience in the management of laryngectomized and tracheostomized patients and in teamwork with other specialists and professionals without the need to create new structures outside Otorhinolaryngology.

Survival Analysis in Patients with Laryngeal Cancer: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

INTRODUCTION: The worldwide incidence rate of laryngeal cancer is declining. However, the 5-year survival for these patients has decreased in recent years from 66% to 63%. This may be due to changes in the treatment of the disease. The present study aimed to evaluate the survival rate of patients with LC according to the stage of the disease and the treatment applied. For this purpose, surgical versus organ preservation protocols (OPP) based on chemoradiotherapy were evaluated. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in a tertiary hospital. The study included adult patients with a clinical diagnosis of primary LC. Patients with LC and systemic metastases and those with synchronous tumors at diagnosis were excluded. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to determine the association between exposure to LC treatment and the time to event (death). Overall survival (OS), cause-specific survival (CSS), and disease-free survival (DFS) were calculated. RESULTS: Patients with advanced tumors (stages III and IV) had almost three times the risk of LC death than those in the initial tumor stages (I and II) [HR CCS = 2.89 (95%CI 1.30-6.39)]; [HR OS = 2.01 (95%CI 1.35-2.98)]. Patients who underwent surgical treatment had a higher chance of survival than those who were treated according to OPP [HR = 0.62; 95%CI (0.38-1.02)] in CSS, 0.74 [95%CI (0.50-1.90)] in OS, and 0.61 [95%CI (0.40-0.91)] in DFS. DISCUSSION: OPP changed the management of patients with advanced stages of LC, establishing CRT as an alternative to surgery. Our data did not reveal clinically relevant differences in OS between patients treated with OPP and those who underwent surgery; however, we reported differences in the DFS rate after five years of follow-up in favor of the surgery-treated group of patients. CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment improves CSS and DFS at five years in patients with initial LC with respect to radiation therapy alone. Furthermore, surgical treatment associated with complementary radiation therapy offers better CSS and DFS in patients with advanced LC.

Analysis of Prevalence and Predictive Factors of Long-Lasting Olfactory and Gustatory Dysfunction in COVID-19 Patients.

BACKGROUND: Although smell and taste disorders are highly prevalent symptoms of COVID-19 infection, the predictive factors leading to long-lasting chemosensory dysfunction are still poorly understood. METHODS: 102 out of 421 (24.2%) mildly symptomatic COVID-19 patients completed a second questionnaire about the evolution of their symptoms one year after the infection using visual analog scales (VAS). A subgroup of 69 patients also underwent psychophysical evaluation of olfactory function through UPSIT. RESULTS: The prevalence of chemosensory dysfunction decreased from 82.4% to 45.1% after 12 months, with 46.1% of patients reporting a complete recovery. Patients older than 40 years (OR = 0.20; 95% CI: [0.07, 0.56]) and with a duration of loss of smell longer than four weeks saw a lower odds ratio for recovery (OR = 0.27; 95% CI: [0.10, 0.76]). In addition, 28 patients (35.9%) reported suffering from parosmia, which was associated with moderate to severe taste dysfunction at the baseline (OR = 7.80; 95% CI: [1.70, 35.8]). Among the 69 subjects who underwent the UPSIT, 57 (82.6%) presented some degree of smell dysfunction, showing a moderate correlation with self-reported VAS (r = -0.36, p = 0.0027). CONCLUSION: A clinically relevant number of subjects reported persistent chemosensory dysfunction and parosmia one year after COVID-19 infection, with a moderate correlation with psychophysical olfactory tests.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the training of otorhinolaryngology residents.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Training in surgical specialties has declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. A study was carried out to further analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on specific aspects of clinical, training, and research activities performed by the otolaryngology residents in Spain. METHODS: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted during the last two weeks of February 2021. The study consisted of an online survey taken by otolaryngology residents who had undertaken one-year continuing training from February 15, 2020, to February 15, 2021, and consisted of 26 questions exploring the impact of the COVID-19 on the health of the ENT residents and training activities. Categorical variables were reported as frequency and percentage. When indicated, Pearson's Chi-square test (χ2) with Yates's correction and Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) were used. RESULTS: 143 completed surveys were received from 264 Residents (54.17%). 36 residents (25.2%) have suffered from the disease due to SARS-CoV-2. Most of them only developed mild symptoms (86.1%), with 3 requiring hospitalisation (8.3%). The origin of infection was unknown in all reported cases and the need for confinement was principally due to either attending an asymptomatic patient in 9 cases (6.3%) or to being supposedly in close contact with an asymptomatic person in 22 (15.4%). 60.1% of the residents surveyed reported having lost more than 6 months of their training period, and in 18.8% of cases, it was as high as 10 and 12 months. There has been a reduction of more than 75% of what was planned in surgical training (p<0.05) of tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy, stapedectomy, cochlear implants, endoscopic sinonasal and anterior skull base surgery, septoplasty and turbinoplasty. CONCLUSIONS: The decline in ENT activity and residents having to assist in other COVID-19 units during the most critical moments of the pandemic, has caused the main reduction in their training capacity. Contagion mainly occurred through contact with asymptomatic carriers during patient care and through supposedly close contact with asymptomatic carriers. Virtual activities have been widely accepted, but they have not completely replaced all residents' training needs. Measures should be implemented to recover lost training, especially surgical practical learning in otology and rhinology.

Stapler-Assisted Pharyngeal Closure After Total Laryngectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

INTRODUCTION: Pharyngocutaneous fistula (PCF) remains the most frequent complication following total laryngectomy (TL). Pharyngeal closure with a surgical stapler (SAPC) has been proposed as an effective closure technique that decreases the rate of PCF, reduces surgical time, decreases the length of hospital stay, and shortens the time required before safely initiating oral feeding. METHODS: This study involved a systematic review and meta-analysis of patients with laryngeal cancer who underwent TL and with subsequent stapler pharyngeal closure, in order to analyse the current literature regarding the role of SAPC after TL. RESULTS: The incidence of PCF in the stapler-assisted suture group (SASG) was 9.5% (95% CI 8.2-15.9%), with a mean absolute deviation of 1.12, while in the hand-suture group (HSG) group the incidence was 23.4% (95% CI 23-26.1%), with a mean absolute deviation of 5.71 (p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: SAPC may decrease the risk of PCF in patients following TL. Based on the current data, SAPC appears to shorten the surgical time and the length of hospital stay. Nevertheless, prospective randomized trials are required to validate these findings.

[Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the training of otorhinolaryngology residents]. / Impacto de la pandemia COVID-19 en la formación de los residentes de otorrinolaringología.

Background and objectives: Training in surgical specialties has declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. A study was carried out to further analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on specific aspects of clinical, training, and research activities performed by the otolaryngology residents in Spain. Methods: A cross-sectional qualitative study was conducted during the last two weeks of February 2021. The study consisted of an online survey taken by otolaryngology residents who had undertaken one-year continuing training from February 15, 2020, to February 15, 2021, and consisted of 26 questions exploring the impact of the COVID-19 on the health of the ENT residents and training activities. Categorical variables were reported as frequency and percentage. When indicated, Pearsons Chi-square test (χ2) with Yates's correction and Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) were used. Results: 143 completed surveys were received from 264 residents (54.17%). 36 residents (25.2%) have suffered from the disease due to SARS-CoV-2. Most of them only developed mild symptoms (86.1%), with 3 requiring hospitalization (8.3%). The origin of infection was unknown in all reported cases and the need for confinement was principally due to either attending an asymptomatic patient in 9 cases (6.3%) or to being supposedly in close contact with an asymptomatic person in 22 (15.4%). 60.1% of the residents surveyed reported having lost more than 6 months of their training period, and in 18.8% of cases, it was as high as 10 and 12 months. There has been a reduction of more than 75% of what was planned in surgical training (P < .05) of tympanoplasty, mastoidectomy, stapedectomy, cochlear implants, endoscopic sinonasal and anterior skull base surgery, septoplasty and turbinoplasty. Conclusions: The decline in ENT activity and residents having to assist in other COVID-19 units during the most critical moments of the pandemic, has caused the main reduction in their training capacity. Contagion mainly occurred through contact with asymptomatic carriers during patient care and through supposedly close contact with asymptomatic carriers. Virtual activities have been widely accepted, but they have not completely replaced all residents' training needs. Measures should be implemented to recover lost training, especially surgical practical learning in otology and rhinology.

COVID-19 Pandemic and its Impact on the Management of Head and Neck Cancer in the Spanish Healthcare System.

Introduction Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has represented a major challenge for healthcare systems worldwide, changing the habits of physicians. A reorganization of healthcare activity has been necessary, limiting surgical activity to essential cases (emergencies and oncology), and improving the distribution of health resources. Objective To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on head and neck cancer surgery management in Spain. Methods A cross-sectional study, through an anonymous and voluntary online survey distributed to 76 Spanish otorhinolaryngology departments. Results A total of 44 centers completed the survey, 65.9% of which were high-volume. A total of 45.5% of them had to stop high-priority surgery and 54.5% of head and neck surgeons were relocated outside their scope of practice. Surgeons reported not feeling safe during their usual practice, with a decrease to a 25% of airway procedures. A total of 29.5% were "forced" to deviate from the "standard of care" due to the epidemiological situation. Conclusions Approximately half of the departments decreased their activity, not treating their patients on a regular basis, and surgeons were reassigned to other tasks. It seems necessary that the head and neck surgeons balance infection risk with patient care. The consequences of the reported delays and changes in daily practice should be evaluated in the future in order to understand the real impact of the pandemic on the survival of head and neck cancer patients.

Usefulness of endonasal mucoplasty in the surgical treatment of chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps. Prospective study.

Chronic Rhinosinusitis with Nasal Polyps (CRScPN) is a disease with great impact on health. The surgical option using endoscopic nasosinus surgery is the therapeutic alternative when control of the disease is not achieved with medical treatment. Extensive endoscopic approaches are being postulated as a possible best surgical treatment option in certain phenotypes of CRScPN. Endonasal mucoplasty associated with these approaches has been shown to be a complementary technique that improves both healing and mucosal oedema in patients with CRScPN in the short term. The aim of our study was to analyse the results of endonasal mucoplasty associated with a complete ethmoid-sphenoidotomy plus grade III frontal sinusotomy in the treatment of CRScPN in the medium term. For this purpose, a prospective case-control study (10/10) was carried out on patients with CRScPN. In the case group, endonasal mucoplasty in the left nostril was associated with surgery, and the control group was not. The assessment of quality of life at one year after surgery, as measured by the mean difference in SNOT-22 (mean [SD]), in the case group was significantly better than in the control group, (45.9 [19.6]-26.6 [16.05], P = 0.027). The endoscopic improvement in healing and mucosal oedema, measured by the Modified Lund-Kennedy scale, showed relevant improvements, when comparing both pits, but without reaching significance (P = 0.29). Endonasal mucoplasty promotes short-term healing, improving the quality of life in the medium term (one year) of patients treated with extensive endoscopic breast resections.

Intraoperative spinal accessory nerve monitoring in neck dissections.

BACKGROUND: The identification and preservation of the spinal accessory nerve (SAN) is essential in neck surgeries due to possible complications. We report the technique to intraoperative neuromonitoring (IONM) of SAN in functional neck dissections. METHOD: SAN was monitored by needle electrodes placed on the trapezius muscle. Preoperative and postoperative nerve mapping was performed. CONCLUSION: IONM for spinal accessory nerve in patients undergoing neck dissection is a useful technique that can be valuable for neck surgeries where spinal nerve injury is at risk.

Loss of Smell and Taste Can Accurately Predict COVID-19 Infection: A Machine-Learning Approach.

The COVID-19 outbreak has spread extensively around the world. Loss of smell and taste have emerged as main predictors for COVID-19. The objective of our study is to develop a comprehensive machine learning (ML) modelling framework to assess the predictive value of smell and taste disorders, along with other symptoms, in COVID-19 infection. A multicenter case-control study was performed, in which suspected cases for COVID-19, who were tested by real-time reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR), informed about the presence and severity of their symptoms using visual analog scales (VAS). ML algorithms were applied to the collected data to predict a COVID-19 diagnosis using a 50-fold cross-validation scheme by randomly splitting the patients in training (75%) and testing datasets (25%). A total of 777 patients were included. Loss of smell and taste were found to be the symptoms with higher odds ratios of 6.21 and 2.42 for COVID-19 positivity. The ML algorithms applied reached an average accuracy of 80%, a sensitivity of 82%, and a specificity of 78% when using VAS to predict a COVID-19 diagnosis. This study concludes that smell and taste disorders are accurate predictors, with ML algorithms constituting helpful tools for COVID-19 diagnostic prediction.

Radioanatomical study of the extended free nasal floor mucosal graft and its clinical applications.

OBJECTIVES: To perform a radio-anatomical evaluation of the nasal cavity floor free mucosal graft (endonasal extended mucoplasty, EEM) to repair mucosal defects after an extended ethmoid-sphenoidotomy. METHODS: A human cadaveric study (radiological and anatomical dissection) and an in vivo study in surgical patients with CRSwNP were performed. The EEM areas were compared between 3D reconstruction from CT scans and anatomical/surgical dissections, both in cadaver specimens and in patients. Feasibility was assessed by correlation between the EEM area on CT scans and when harvested in cadavers and when grafted in patients. Usefulness was assessed by the degree of coverage of the EEM in the surface exposed after an extended ethmoid-sphenoidotomy. Both feasibility and usefulness were assessed in cadaveric specimens (n = 15) and patients (n = 4). RESULTS: Fifteen cadaveric specimens and 4 patients with bilateral CRSwNP were included. The mean (SD) areas obtained in the cadaveric radiological and anatomical studies were 9.44 (2.07) cm2 and 8.03 (1.36) cm2, respectively (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.59, moderate correlation), and in 3D reconstruction for operated patients were 10.32 (0.98) cm2 and 11.27 (2.44) cm2, respectively. The coverage of the ethmoidal roof in the cadaveric dissection study was 100%, from the anterior ethmoidal artery to the posterior ethmoidal artery, covering the planun sphenoidale up to 75% in the case series. In 87.5% of the cases, up to 50% of the papiracea lamina was covered. CONCLUSION: The EEM have shown to be a feasible and useful grafting technique to repair skull base defects after performing an extended ethmoid-sphenoidotomy during surgery for CRSwNP. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: NA.

Seizure as Early Presentation of a Pneumocephalus after Cochlear Implant: A Case Report.

Pneumocephalus after cochlear implantation is very rare with five reported cases in the literature. The presence of clinical features in the immediate postoperative period has never been reported, because they occur weeks after surgery. These neurological manifestations can compromise the patient's life; thus, it is important to have proper knowledge and management of these manifestations. We present a case report with a review of the literature. A 35-year-old man began having seizures a few hours after a cochlear implantation. Computed tomography (CT) scan revealed a pneumocephalus and bone defect at the level of the electrode's drilling path, not objected during the surgery. The patient was handled conservatively, and in subsequent reviews, CT objected reabsorption of the pneumocephalus. The presence of a pneumocephalus should be taken into account in the neurological features of a patient with cochlear implant, especially if mastoid bone defects are suspected during surgery. The management of the pneumocephalus will, in most cases, be conservative, consisting of clinical observation and imaging tests. Surgical treatment is reserved for situations in which the clinical manifestations are very symptomatic and when they are tension pneumocephalus.

Short-term audiological outcomes of stapedotomy: microdrill at low revolutions versus manual perforator to perform a small footplate fenestra. A prospective observational study.

<b>Introduction:</b> Stapedotomy is currently the surgical technique of choice for treating otosclerosis. Despite this, there is no agreement about the best technique to perform a small fenestra footplate, therefore multiple procedures have been proposed. The aim of this study was to investigate the hearing outcomes of microdrill and manual perforator. <br><b>Material and Methods:</b> An observational prospective study was carried out on patients who underwent stapedotomy. We analyzed the hearing threshold in two groups of patients according to the way the fenestra footplate was realized by microdrill or manual perforator. <br><b>Results:</b> A total of 113 patients were evaluated. Postoperative hearing gain of the microdrill group was 23.29 (18.58) dB HL 95% CI (18.40-28.18), while in the manual perforator group, it was 22.67 (12.91) dB HL 95% CI (19.07-26.26). Both groups were statistically significant. Postoperative bone conductive hearing threshold at the frequencies of 0.5, 1 and 2 KHz and postoperative air conductive hearing threshold at the frequencies of 2 and 4 KHz showed statistically significant differences in the manual perforator group. The closure of air-bone gap was higher in the microdrill group with statistically significant differences. <br><b>Conclusion:</b> Both manual perforator and microdrill have good hearing outcomes at six months after surgery. The manual perforator has better audiological outcomes than microdrill. Hence, the manual perforator is a safe technique and can be used in centers that do not have other methods to make the small fenestra.