Never trust secondary references: examples from the early history of myringotomy and grommets

History of Mastoidectomy: PubMed, Best Matches, Secondary References, and Inaccuracies

OBJECTIVE

PubMed is the world's largest online collection of biomedical literature citations. A PubMed search (October 11, 2019) using the medical subject heading terms "history" and "mastoidectomy" was conducted. The heading "best matches" listed as first article "A brief history of mastoidectomy," a very relevant free full text. The aim of this study is to validate or not the relevance attributed to this study as the first article listed in best matches.

METHODOLOGY

All the references of the article mentioned before 1860 were checked, further completed with other original sources, and studied again, with particular attention to their extracted quotes.

RESULTS

Surprisingly, this article contains many inaccuracies, notably concerning Galen, Lucas van Leyden, Paré, Riolan the Younger, Justus von Berger, Jasser, Dezeimeris, Wilde and Toynbee. This was most certainly related to blind trust of some secondary references.

CONCLUSION

Never trust secondary references. This article also raises questions on the validity and the relevance of the best matches algorithm in PubMed.

Otitis media with effusion: Politzer's 100 year legacy

Otitis media with effusion has been the subject of a number of recent studies. It was first recognised during the second half of the 19th century, when Adam Politzer (1835-1920) of Vienna was one of the leading otologists of this period and a founding father of the specialty. He had emphasised in his textbook the importance of tympanoscopy, which had led to the recognition of what was then known as 'catarrh of the middle ear' as a clinical entity. Politzer's original illustrations and concise accounts give a clear image of the contemporary state of knowledge of the condition and its treatment, which includes myringotomy, adenoidectomy and the insertion of tympanostomy tubes. From his textbook we can also glean insight into the evolution of both otology as a specialty and OME in particular.

History of Myringotomy and Grommets: A Perpetuation of Inaccuracies?

This letter discuss the inaccuracies contained in the recent paper about history of myringotomy and grommets.

[Paracentez]

In this article, we present the analysis of the data of the specialized literature and the results of our own observations on the use of paracentesis in the treatment of acute suppurative otitis media. We highlight a method for diagnosing acute otitis media, which makes it possible to determine the rational algorithm of treating this disease - digital videootoscopy. Common methods of procedures aimed at draining the tympanum in acute purulent otitis media, such as tympanic membrane puncture, myringotomy, tympanostomy, tympanocentesis, and the differential approach to these methods of surgical treatment of the disease are discussed. The very concept of paracentesis is specified, the history of this surgical intervention is presented. Authors described the technique and features of paracentesis, a number of indications for its implementation, possible complications of surgical intervention and their causes. The risk of developing a chronic pathological process after the use of paracentesis or, conversely, due to the rejection of this manipulation during acute inflammation in the middle ear is assessed.

Was Cheselden's One-Century-Long Otological Writings Concordant With His Time?

William Cheselden's famous anatomical treatise spanned the entire 18th century period with its 15 editions. The aim of this study is to analyze the otological knowledge described in all these editions, to identify key 18th century otological advancements, and to study their concordance.In the first edition (1713), Cheselden notably mentioned four middle ear ossicles: malleus, incus, fourth ossicle, and stapes; four auditory muscles: "external tympani," "external oblique," tensor tympani, and stapedial; and a small opening in the tympanic membrane. In subsequent editions, minimal changes appeared, except for nomenclature changes and the proposal of an artificial opening of the tympanic membrane. Virtually no changes were performed up to the last edition (1806). All Cheselden's Editions confirm the uncertain presence of a fourth ossicle, the disputable presence of a tympanic membrane opening and the "usual" accepted presence of three muscles to the malleus. Key otologic advancements, not found in any of Cheselden's writings, were catherization of the Eustachian tube, presence of fluid in the inner ear, and the surgical opening of the mastoid.This study demonstrates that Cheselden, and his subsequent editors, were unaware of some important otologic developments that revolutionized the field of otology. Description of key advancements lacking in his treatise includes catherization of the Eustachian tube, the presence of fluid in the inner ear, and the surgical opening of the mastoid. Nevertheless, Cheselden is first in proposing to artificially open the tympanic membrane in humans.