The University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology Opens New High-Tech Temporal Bone Lab

The University of Minnesota Department of Otolaryngology-HNS, with support from the Minnesota Lions Hearing Foundation and the University of Minnesota Medical School, recently unveiled our new temporal bone lab. Marking a significant leap in both medical research and residency training, this new state-of-the-art facility will provide students, researchers and clinicians with hands-on access to the latest technology while training and understanding ear anatomy and pathology. Our trainees will use this facility to learn new ear surgery techniques from our experienced faculty and will carry these newly acquired skills throughout their careers. 

The original temporal bone lab was built 30 years ago, a project guided by Samuel Levine, MD, in 1986. It was equipped with six workstations and equipment that was updated periodically. The lab was not only used by the Department of Otolaryngology but by the Departments of Ophthalmology and Neurosurgery as well.  Since the opening of the first temporal bone lab, the department has trained over 200 otolaryngologists and held many training courses.

Our new lab is nearly TRIPLE the size of the old one, featuring 15 workstations including one collaborative station! Each station is equipped with new microscopes, enhanced surgical precision tools,  improved ergonomics and individual HD monitoring systems for observation and training in real-time. We are also extremely excited about the new collaborative station as it allows for two-user training of skull base and microvascular surgery.  All stations are wired to an overview station which can project researchers' screens within the room and via Zoom, allowing us the ability to host teaching labs online. We look forward to training the next generation of Otolaryngologists in the new temporal bone lab in addition to conducting courses to train Otolaryngologists regionally, nationally and internationally.