Video glasses in endoscopy in children--a preliminary report.

INTRODUCTION The endoscopy is nowadays the basic diagnostic method in otolaryngology. However, the size and distance of the video display and the location of the monitor continue to be impediments to endoscopy due to the inadequate alignment of the optical axis. AIM In this study, I evaluate the practical usefulness of video glasses in endoscopy. METHODS The video glasses, weighing 115 g, which are designed for consumer video home use, consisting of two active LCD color panels with over 300000-pixel resolution. The operator sees the image in front of them, and below the glasses, simply by moving his or her eyes, thus seeing the patient and the field of intervention. 76 patients participated in this study; all of having undergone nasal endoscopy and flexible nasopharyngoscopy. RESULTS The video glasses allowed me to use an ultra large screen as if there was a 115-cm screen 2 m in front of me. During endoscopy, I could concentrate more on the procedures. There were no complications attributable to the use of the device. CONCLUSION In my opinion the video glasses may represent a viable alternative to conventional displays for endoscopy, but definition of the specific roles requires further investigation.