UW Oto's New Temporal Bone Lab Opens!

UW Otolaryngology-HNS recently hosted an open house for department members to celebrate the opening of our newly renovated temporal bone lab! The lab is housed on the 11th floor of UW's Health Sciences building, adjacent to UW Montlake Hospital and near the department's administrative offices. 
 
The renovation is certainly cause for celebration: The original lab, built about 27 years ago, was equipped with five workstations and, until this remodel, the original microscopes and drills were still in use (apart from the occasional required repair). The lab is an essential component of our training program, where residents first learn ear surgery techniques under the guidance of experienced faculty. After the course, residents “graduate” to more advanced procedures in the operating room. The lab also features a reference collection of meticulously drilled temporal bones demonstrating the critical anatomic relationships of the ear and skull base.
 
The new lab is nearly twice the size of the original and features seven workstations and six drilling stations, all with new microscopes and drills, individual observer monitors, and improved ergonomics. The multiuser microscope station features state-of-the-art 3D augmented reality for simultaneous two-surgeon training in skull base and microvascular surgery. Observers can also view in 3D! There is a mobile tower to integrate training for endoscopic middle ear surgery.  Each station connects to a central audio-visual system which can project onto a large screen TV, be webcast and/or recorded.

The new lab is nearly twice the size of the original and features seven workstations and six drilling stations, all with new microscopes and drills, individual observer monitors, and improved ergonomics. The multiuser microscope station features state-of-the-art 3D augmented reality for simultaneous two-surgeon training in skull base and microvascular surgery.  Observers can also view in 3D! There is a mobile tower to integrate training for endoscopic middle ear surgery.  Each station connects to a central audio-visual system which can project onto a large screen TV, be webcast and/or recorded.