O Scope Review

Without a doubt, I would recommend a Vorotek prism headlight-known as the O Scope. 

I get a stereoscopic view of the Tympanic membrane, or deep inside a nose, with a great light and small amount of magnification.

I worked under John Vorrath, the ENT surgeon who “invented” it, modifying an indirect Ophthalmoscope, at our Eye & Ear Hospital.

I have used them for over 40 years (starting with my Residency) and so does almost every Australian ENT surgeon.

John even convinced me to insert grommets with them, so still at the age of 70 I never use a microscope for grommets, and it is easy to flip up the prisms to then remove the Tonsils and Adenoids.

I don’t need a Microscope for Otology in my office.

After doing one of the early FESS courses in New York in 1986, but coming back to Melbourne and no hospital yet being equipped with 4mm endoscopes, I bought 4  FESS instruments – a back-biter, a balled curved probe, and a small straight and up-biting sinus Blakeley forceps  – and for several years did about 100 cases of what I called a FINESS operation (Functional Intra-Nasal Non-Endoscopic Sinus Surgery ) – very few of those patients have needed revision. 

I currently own 4 sets (one for my office, one for the OR, a spare in my car, and I keep one at my holiday beach apartment for when my grandchildren or their friends get swimmers ear. My office back-room has about 10 older versions of the Vorotek including one of John’s original hand-made headlights.

I have no financial link to Vorotek.

Dr. Stephen Kleid