Fellowship In Otology & Endoscopic Ear Surgery

Objectives: The program is designed to provide advanced clinical training in otology and endoscopic ear surgery (EES), training in Microscope & Endoscope assisted ear surgeries, and Basic & Advanced Temporal bone dissection. The program also offers extensive research opportunities in the areas of otology and EES, which will support the development of those candidates planning an academic career.

Overview: The fellow plays an integral role in the otology surgical team. With a team of 15 residents, the fellows will be able to take the lead role in managing otology surgical patients, including over 200 minor OPD procedures related to ear and over 50 otological surgeries performed annually. Additionally, the fellows will perform advanced temporal bone (lateral skull base) dissection and play a key role in otology outreach camps which will bring in new patients and provide them with optimal treatment plans.

Duties and Responsibilities of Trainees: The fellow is committed for 08 months at ENT department, Kasturba Medical College, Mangalore. The fellow will be involved in all aspects of otology patient care. The fellow evaluates patients preoperatively in the outpatient setting and actively participates in the work-up and treatment plan. The fellow meets all patients on the day of surgery and is actively involved in each major and minor ear surgery. The fellow manages all patients during the recovery period and evaluates them in the office during the post-operative period. The Fellow enhances resident education by taking daily rounds with the team and performing informal teaching during resident rounds.

The fellows will spend 04 months at Sushrut ENT Hospital & Dr.Khan’s Research Centre Talegaon, Pune, India, where Dr. Mubarak Khan has state of art facilities to train the fellows in 2 handed EES.

Research Opportunities: Research is emphasized and expected to be an important part of the fellow’s growth throughout the training period. A fellow must take up a short-term research project, present it’s outcomes in an otology conference, and send it for publication. Collaboration with Dr. Khan’s research institute will help this further. Our otology Research program will provide the fellow with a unique opportunity to investigate various functional outcomes. Our in-house facilities for audiology and vestibular evaluation will help assess the impact of various treatments including surgery in the rehabilitation of patients’ audio-vestibular functions and quality of life. The research center will assess outcomes to guide the future of patient care. The fellow will have an integral role in ongoing otology-related research performed in our institute and Dr. Khan’s research institute. Scientific presentations at national/international meetings will be encouraged.

Eligibility Criteria:

Essential: M.S/ DNB degree in ENT

Desirable:

• Work experience in otology centers.
• Publications (especially in Otology) in peer-reviewed journals

Fellowship Caseload:

The following is a list of all cases available to the otology & EES fellow for the fellowship period. During the year, the fellow will perform approximately 50 otology procedures, of which 10 will be major procedures, and observe all otology surgeries including Cochlear Implantation.

All the cases performed will be with support provided by a faculty mentor.

Available types of cases for otological procedures will include:

(Performed under the microscope as well as the endoscope)

• Lobuloplasty & Pinnaplasty
• Removal of wax, foreign body, keratosis obturans, granulation, etc.
• Intratympanic injections
• Myringotomy + Grommet insertion
• Myringoplasty
• Tympanoplasty of various types
• Ossiculoplasty
• Stapedotomy
• canaloplasty
• Cortical Mastoidectomy
• Combined Approach Tympanoplasty
• Bondy’s technique (for mastoidectomy)
• Modified Radical Mastoidectomy
• Cochlear Implantation

Clinical responsibilities:

• Assessment of new patients
• Planning and delivery of treatment under different levels of supervision as appropriate
• Follow up and assessment of outcome.
• Organize and present cases in multidisciplinary meetings.
• Discuss service development and clinical trials projects
• Record data for the purposes of clinical audit and trials
• Attend in-house and outreach camps regularly to improve the patient load.

Academic responsibilities:

• Collation and analysis of patient data for purposes of research and publication
• Training junior doctors
• Management of outreach and prevention clinics with collection and organization of data.

Expected Rotations/Work Scheme:

• 08 months at ENT department, KMC, Mangalore
• 04 months at Sushrut ENT Hospital & Dr. Khan’s Research Centre, Talegaon, Pune.
• An overall attendance of 80% is expected to be maintained to be eligible to appear for the summative (exit) examination conducted by the university.

Supervision & Teaching:

1.  The Fellow will be supervised by faculty for otology cases, with progressive responsibility and independence as expertise develops.
2.  The Fellow will supervise and teach residents as appropriate

Strengths

• We offer one of the best otology, EES, audiology & SLP services in the country.
• Collaboration with Dr. Khan’s center will further ensure that we provide world-class hands-on training and research opportunities.
• The fellow will develop increasing comfort in managing complex otology patients within a multi-disciplinary framework.
• Dedicated clinical faculty provides mentorship to help develop skills and knowledge needed for an academic career.
• The academic milieu includes one of the finest Otolaryngology residency programs (for last 50 years) in the country, with excellence in every aspect of the field.