12 parents/guardians (10%) discussed the information with the physician assigned to perform the surgical procedure. 91 parents/guardians (78%) said that the information had impact upon the decision to have surgery performed on their children.

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St apedotomies are perfomed with the aid of surgical microscopes. However, the microscope has some limitations and may cause complications such as damage to the chorda tympani nerve. There are just a few cases and no series published on the use of sino-nasal endoscopes in stapedotomies.Objectives: a) To investigate the feasibility of using sino-nasal endoscopes in stapedotomies, focusing on the visualization of important structures. b) To show initial results, discuss possible advantages and disadvantages of this instrument.Methods: 15 patients with otosclerosis were selected to undergo stapedotomies in 2010. The data and surgery videos were analyzed retrospectively (study case series). The anatomical conditions of the oval window niche and surgical steps were described and used to assess possible benefits of such procedures. Results:The surgeries were performed with endoscopes only and all relevant anatomical structures were visualized without difficulty. No complications were observed and 14 of the 15 patients reported improvement of their hearing, confirmed by postoperative audiological tests. Conclusion:Totally endoscopic stapes surgeries are technically feasible, safe and promising. In this small series, the main advantages were: virtually no trauma to the chorda tympani nerve and excellent vision. The disadvantages were the lack of stereoscopic vision, having to work with one hand only and the learning curve. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2011;77(6):721-7. ORIGINAL ARTICLE BJORL

Ears, nose and throat have intrigued humanity since immemorial times. Treatments for the larynx, the nose and the ear and also surgeries were practiced by Greek, Hindu and Byzantine doctors. In the 20th century clinical and surgical innovations were incorporated, thanks to new anesthesia techniques, antibiotics, radiology and new technologies. Aim and method: show the evolution of this science throughout the times, recognizing important persons in otology, rhinology and laryngology. Results and conclusion: Understanding the evolutions in clinical and surgical anatomy, physiology, treatment modalities, and the personalities that lead to these advances is of great importance for the evolution of medical science. Otorhinolaryngology has a very rich history, with important collaborators and personalities in the history of medicine. The specialty was one of the first to use local anesthesia for procedures, pioneer in treatments with devices that recouped hearing and the use of microscopes in surgeries. Few medical specialties had suffered as many changes and scientific developments in these last decades as Otorhinolaryngology had, with the advantage of incorporating technologies such as endoscopy, radiology, microsurgery and information technology.

Int roduction and aims: Balloon sinuplasty has been the object of recent discussions and papers. It is believed that the use of these tools can bring benefits, when compared with traditional endoscopic sinus surgery. Although there already are papers on the efficacy of this new instrument in the literature, there is no study in our country with a series of cases and follow-up of patients undergoing sinuplasty. Our study aims to review the information of 10 patients who underwent balloon sinuplasty, alone or in combination, discussing the indications, complementary therapy and follow up evaluation.Method: retrospective study.