NHS offers office-based surgery
An NHS trust has substituted the operating theatre for the office to carry out one of the commonest ear surgery procedures in hospital.
Northwick Park Hospital’s Ear, Nose and Throat department is pioneering the new approach to tympanoplasty which removes the need for general anaesthetic when repairing a hole in the ear drum.
The hole can be caused by an infection or pushing something like a cotton bud into the ear and is repaired by grafting new tissue under the hole and covering it with silicone.
Surgeon Bhav Patel said: “It’s a win-win situation for everyone. The patient doesn’t have to fast the night before, can go home 30 minutes after the procedure, and we can offer the treatment to more people because we only need to administer a local anaesthetic. It also frees up theatre time for more complex procedures.
“I find it helps to have a constant dialogue with the patient as they are awake, and we give them the option of watching the procedure as we narrate. This transforms the experience of surgery — turning patients from passive recipients into informed participants in their care.
Lalita, 81, is one of the first people to have the procedure outside of theatre said: “I had hearing problems for more than five years but was reluctant to undergo general anaesthetic at my age.
“Mr Patel said it could be done with a local anaesthetic and I really enjoyed watching the procedure on screen. I would recommend the procedure to anyone who needs it.”