Tauno Palva Temporal Bone Laboratory

Since 2019, the laboratory’s facilities have been housed in the Surgical Hospital, where appropriate and bright facilities have been renovated on the ground floor for both microsurgical training and examinations. In addition to the actual laboratory, the facilities include a lecture room and a dressing room.

The laboratory has a total of 11 drilling working stations. Each working station is fitted with a modern drill system and an operation microscope with the ability to store images and videos. At the teacher’s station, the microscope can be connected to a projector for demonstrations.

Teaching includes national and international courses in ear surgery for specializing physicians and specialists, as well as other courses in microsurgery in fields such as laryngology, neurosurgery and vascular surgery.

Currently ongoing research:

• Intraoperative transimpedance and spread-of excitation profile correlations with a lateral-wall cochlear implant electrode array
• Middle ear mechanics and 3D printed middle ear prosthesis

The simulation teaching in modern temporal bone microsurgery was brought to Finland by Professor Tauno Palva, who visited the United States as a post-doctoral researcher as early as the 1950s. He also provided in his will for the establishment of a foundation to support the laboratory in both research and teaching.

The purpose of the foundation is to support research and teaching associated with the temporal bone laboratory in HUS Helsinki University Hospital. The topics include temporal bone anatomy and pathology, ear physiology, clinical otology, and ear and skull base surgery. With the foundation’s support, the laboratory can guarantee optimal conditions for research and teaching in the field well into the future.