AB076. 191. The story of ear nose and throat

Abstract: History of Otorhinolaryngology goes back 3,500 years BC to ancient Egypt when an Egyptian Rhinologist Sekhet’ Menanch treated “King Sahure’s nostrils successfully”. The Hindus were reported to be the first to practice rhinoplasty, but it was 25 centuries ago when Hippocrates separated medicine from the sphere of magic and was the first who described the tympanic membrane. Claudius Galen described a carious bone that should be removed after making an incision behind the ear, but medicine under the doctrine of Gallon ignored anatomy. It was during Renaissance when Leonardo Da Vinci searched for anatomical knowledge, engaged in human dissections. His anatomical sketchbooks included amazing human anatomy drawings with anatomical descriptions of facial, laryngeal muscles, and included topics he was interested to explore such as facial movements. Our Study is a review of important events, names that contributed to Otorhinolaryngology, which combines medical, surgical disciplines under subspecialties which were all fused in the early 20th century. History of ENT is very complex and broad as it follows the evolution of otology, laryngology, rhinology, back as early as the Egyptian times BC. The timeline can be divided based on major events, discoveries, achievements in ENT. Milestones include the 18th century where great advances in anatomical knowledge were combined with physiology and pathology. Surgical advancement following anesthesia and antisepsis introduction in the 19th century nowadays can be based on the introduction of endoscopy, microsurgery, laser, and robotic surgery. Otorhinolaryngology timeline features names recognized for input into ENT, some names are linked to signs, tests, procedures or even surgical instruments.

Keywords: Ear nose and throat (ENT); history; otorhinolaryngology; head and neck surgery