Abstract
Limited access to key diagnostic tools is detrimental to priority health needs of populations. Ear pain, tenderness, itching, and different degree of hearing loss are common problems which require otoscopy as first diagnostic assessment. Where an otoscope is not available because of budget constraints, a self-fabricated low-cost otoscope might represent a feasible opportunity. In this paper, we share the design and construction process of an open-source, 3D printed, otoscope. The prototype was compared to a commercial solution, demonstrating similar overall quality between the instruments.
Highlights
The last few years saw an increased availability of lowcost 3D printers and their growing diffusion among academic and hobbyist communities [1]
The magnifying factor of our self-fabricated otoscope was determined in 3x power, which was comparable to the commercial otoscope
Since the length of the ear duct is about 2.5 cm and the tip of the head of the otoscope is inserted in the ear, the capability to focus at 2 cm from the tip should provide a clear vision of the eardrum
Summary
The last few years saw an increased availability of lowcost 3D printers and their growing diffusion among academic and hobbyist communities [1]. The ability to progress “open” projects for free, and the ease in product customization, determined the increasing success of fabrication laboratories in medicine, especially for prosthetics [4, 5], splints, [6] and preoperative planning [7] These creative spaces are widespread and hold the capability of starting small-scale productions [8]. These features proved vital during recent health crises, such as the Nepal earthquake of 2015 or the COVID-19 pandemic [9,10,11,12] In both these situations, Maker-designed devices were able to provide help to the populations in need. We share our design and construction process as an open-source project realized through inexpensive 3D printing, hoping others can replicate and validate our prototype, where commercial solutions are demanding
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