Visible light pneumatic otoscopy is considered the best currently available diagnostic office tool for otitis media and congenital cholesteatoma. The implementation of pneumatic otoscopy, however, by primary care physicians in their practice has not been optimal, leading to a lack of resident training and a perception that pneumatic otoscopy is difficult to master.
This has resulted in a diagnostic certainty for otitis media among primary care physicians around 55-70% however antibiotic prescriptions are still used in large number for this condition despite this level of uncertainty. Cholesteatoma is a benign but destructive middle ear condition only curative with surgery. More than one surgical procedure is often required due to the high recurrence rate of cholesteatoma. We will discuss various optical techniques focused in understanding middle ear conditions in an attempt to improve our ability to make the diagnosis.
Dr. Valdez's is an associate professor of Otolaryngology at Stanford University focusing in translational optical research. His research applies various imaging modalities to improve diagnosis of pediatric infectious and neoplastic processes in the head and neck area. Dr. Valdez has developed various imaging methods to diagnose otitis media and cholesteatoma a middle ear condition that can lead to hearing loss. He was part of the Laser Biomedical Research Center at Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research includes novel imaging modalities to better diagnose ear infections, one of the most common pediatric problems. His research has now expanded to include better intraoperative imaging modalities in pediatric patients to improve surgical outcomes without the need for radiation exposure.
Dr. Valdez believes in multidisciplinary collaborations to tackle medical problems and has co-invented various medical devices and surgical simulation models.