The book is meticulously crafted with a great attention to detail. The sequence of chapters flows seamlessly from one to the other—the previous chapter laying a foundation to the next until the concept as a whole is crystal clear. The chapter on Equipment and Set Up addresses basic but often overlooked issues, such as the position of the surgeon and the endoscope placement. The hallmark of a good teacher is one who is able to make very complicated concepts deceptively simple to understand. The chapter on Endoscopic Anatomy of the Ear explains complex nuances especially those of the middle ear spaces brilliantly. The diagrammatic representation of these spaces is beautifully and clearly illustrated.

The chapter on Diagnostic Otoendoscopy is a ‘must read’ for all postgraduate students as it comprehensively covers most of the middle ear pathologies so important for the ‘long case’ of the MS examination. The photographs themselves are very well taken. The different ear surgeries are explained in increasing order of difficulty—the steps of each procedure being described in detail. The book ends on a mature and balanced note, discussing both the advantages and the limitations of the endoscope vis-a-vis the microscope.

As I read the last section on the future of endoscopic ear surgery, I was filled with a sense of anticipation and excitement. I believe that FEES—functional endoscopic ear surgery—is probably the first step of what is going to be a long and exciting journey… just as FEES once was. There is a whole new world of otology waiting to be discovered and I congratulate Dr Saurav Sarkar on his pioneering effort in this field.

Endoscopic surgery fascinated me since my early days of residency. Surgeries by Prof (Dr) Renuka Bradoo left an indelible impression on my mind. I always tried to communicate with madam when in difficult situations and she always responded like a true teacher. She showered her blessings and expert advice without any hesitation whenever we met in conferences throughout the country and I looked forward to those meetings. Ever since, she became my inspiration to perform newer things and surgeries with the endoscope. Thus began my journey into the realm of endoscopic surgery.

Endoscopic ear surgery is the new toddler taking baby steps in the vast world of otosurgery. This book aims at guiding beginners to start practising endoscopic otosurgery. At the outset, it must be emphasized that it has not yet become a replacement for the age old microscopic ear surgery but is complementary to it. To start endoscopic ear surgery, the surgeon must be well-versed with microscopic ear surgery, practise cadavers and then, attempt to start endoscopic ear surgeries in clinicial practice because “surgeries are done because the patient needs to get operated and not because the surgeon wants to operate.”

I started endoscopic ear surgery and received tremendous encouragement from Prof (Dr) SP Bera in Calcutta Medical College. I would thank Prof (Dr) Biswajit Sikder for believing in me and allowing me to perform the ear surgeries endoscopically. I would like to specially mention my beloved junior colleague, Dr Swagatam Banerjee, who not only helped me in my surgeries and in writing this book but also was my worst critic who could bring the best out of me. His IT skills helped me document my work which helped me earn accolades in various competitions throughout the country and enabled me to provide the photographs for this book. I would like to thank my friend, Dr Abhishek Jaswal, for his encouragement during my early struggles and for being my first inspiration behind contributing to medical literature.

My sincere thanks to Prof (Dr) BK Raychaudhuri who guided me during my formative years in residency and helped me start my enthralling journey in this subject. I would like to thank Prof (Dr) Amitabha Roychoudhury for being my inspiration for endoscopic surgeries and his constant support and encouragement. I would like to thank Prof (Dr) AK Chatterjee for being my guide during my residency and Prof (Dr) Ranjan Raychowdhury for his words of wisdom. I would like to thank Prof (Dr) AM Saha for being a supportive teacher a student always needs. I would also like to thank Prof (Dr) AK Saha for his blessings during my UG and PG course, and Prof (Dr) S Mukherjee for his kind words of encouragement.

I extend my gratitude to my colleagues Dr Sanjoy Kr Ghosh, Dr Animesh Ghosh, Dr Aloke Sil, Dr Prasanta Ghosh, Dr Sharmistha Chakravarty Ghosh, Dr Rajiv Singh, Dr Shoham Banerjee, Dr Subhasis Saha, Dr Swapan Bera, Dr Shaswati Sengupta, Dr Kankan Aguan, Dr Sudip Maity, Dr Smita Roy, Dr Saikat Samaddar, Dr Abir Chaudhury, and Dr Richard Narjinary for their unwavering support. My heartfelt thanks to Dr Soumitra Ghosh, Dr Bidhan Chowdhury, Dr Sayan Banerjee, Dr Kaushik Mandal, Dr Kamalika Purakayastha, Dr Sona Pasari, and Dr Sudipta Das.

I would like to thank our anesthesiologists, Dr Tushar Chakravorty and Dr Shilpi Sen, for providing me the anesthetic support during my surgeries. I sincerely thank the nursing staff and the support staff in our OT who helped me in my surgeries directly or indirectly. I would like to thank all my students for bringing a fresh leash of life and enthusiasm every year.

Above all, I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude and sincere regards to all my patients for believing in me and for being my best teacher, teaching me things which books never could. I am grateful to God for giving me the opportunity to serve you during your ailments.

I take this opportunity to thank the Director of AIIMS, Bhubaneswar, Prof (Dr) AK Mohapatra for his constant encouragement and his words of wisdom. I would like to thank my colleagues Dr C Preetam, Dr Dillip Samal, and Dr Anjan Sahoo, for their constant support. I would like to thank my friend and confidante Dr Umesh Shukla and Dr Madhusudan for their support.

I would like to thank Prof (Dr) Ramanuj Sinha, Prof (Dr) TK Hazra, Prof (Dr) BB Pakira, Prof (Dr) D Burman, Dr Rathin Sarkar, and Dr Soumya Ghatak, for all their support and advices.

I would like to express my thanks to all my seniors, juniors and my beloved students of NRS Medical College, Calcutta Medical College and AIIMS, Bhubaneswar for showering their trust and love over me. I would like to express my deepest gratitude to all the patients I have attended for being my best teacher.