What Minimally Invasive Procedures are Offered at the Silverstein Institute?

Dr. Herbert Silverstein has been a pioneer from the beginning of his medical career in 1963. Many of his developments and surgical procedures are employed worldwide. However, to keep up with the changing times, he recognized a need for satisfying both the patient's desire to have less surgical time (and all it encompassed) if possible, and the accompanying elimination of hospitalization. Thus, the creation of Minimally Invasive Surgery.

How does it work?

Most procedures are done in a certified, sterile, in-office operating suite at the Silverstein Institute. Patients are able to view the procedure via video cameras and take home photographs. There is very little discomfort or pain.

Those that require a more expansive procedure are done in the hospital, as an out-patient.

What minimally invasive procedures are offered at the Institute?

Treatment For:

1) Draining fluid from the middle ear (laser tympanostomy) :

We use a laser to create a bloodless opening in the ear drum. This allow for an endoscopic view of the ears' anatomy (middle ear and bones of hearing...hammer, anvil, stirrup).

2) Meniere's disease, sudden deafness, traumatic induced tinnitus:

Following a laser tympanostomy, a MicroWick® is then inserted into the hole. At home, patients can place medications (steroids, gentamicin etc) in the ear canal; which are absorbed by the wick and transported to the round window membrane which leads to the inner ear fluids.

3) Holes in the eardrum:

We take some adipose tissue from the ear lobe to repair small holes in the ear drum (Fat graft myringoplasty).

Minimally invasive procedures also developed by Silverstein that are done in the hospital include:

Treatment For:

1) Severe hyperacusis, otosclerosis, superior semicircular canal fistula.

The Laser STAMP created by Silverstein, uses a laser to mobilize the stapes bone keeping most of the anatomy intact and providing the patient with good hearing.

In the treatment of severe hyperacusis (inability to tolerate noise) and fistula of the superior semicircular canal reinforcement of the Round and Oval windows with tissue improve the patients symptoms.

All of the physicians at the Silverstein Institute perform these procedures. By creating an environment in which the patient is spared the need for hospitalization, the use of minimally invasive surgery is rapidly becoming the preferred method of treatment, when possible.

The book MINIMALLY INVASIVE SURGERY, written by Herbert Silverstein,MD, Lance Jackson, MD, and Dennis Poe, MD is available in at the Ear Research Foundation.