Digital camera documentation system for facial nerve outcome assessment.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the use of a digital camera to document facial nerve function after skull base surgery.


METHODS
Patients undergoing skull base surgery at a tertiary care otologic and neurotologic clinic were used in the study.


METHODS
None.


RESULTS
A digital camera system provided still images and a video strip lasting less than a minute to document facial nerve motion.


CONCLUSIONS
An inexpensive digital camera system can be used to capture still and moving images of facial nerve function on a floppy disk. The images can then be transferred to compact disks for storage of many patient files. Such a system allows documentation for research, exchange of data between offices, and patient education, and it can be used for medical-legal purposes among other uses.
Barrs
D M
DM
Carolina Ear and Hearing Clinic, 3404 Wake Forest Road, Suite 303, Raleigh, NC 27609, U.S.A.
Fukushima
T
T
McElveen
J T
JT
D004282:Documentation; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009464:Neuroma, Acoustic / Q000601:surgery*; D019635:Neurosurgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010781:Photography / Q000295:instrumentation*; D019291:Skull Base / Q000601:surgery; D016896:Treatment Outcome