Caldwell-Luc Operation

The Caldwell-Luc operation is a surgical procedure developed by American otolaryngologists George W. Caldwell and Nicolas Luc in the late 19th century. The purpose of the operation was to treat chronic otitis media and other ear diseases associated with dysfunction of the Eustachian tube.

Caldwell and Luke developed this procedure based on their previous work treating tubaritis, which was caused by blockage and inflammation of the eustachian tube, which connects the middle ear to the outside world. The operation involved creating an artificial opening in the Eustachian canal to allow free flow of air and fluid between the middle ear and the outside environment.

The procedure was named after the surgeons who developed it. It was first performed in the 1870s and is still used to treat chronic middle ear diseases. Although the Caldwell-Luc procedure was the first successful eustachian tube surgery, it was not widely used in the medical world due to its high risk and complications.

Today, due to the development of new technologies and treatment methods, the Caldwell-Luc procedure is rarely used in clinical practice. However, it remains an important milestone in the history of medicine and continues to serve as the basis for the development of new treatments for diseases of the ear and Eustachian canal.



Caldwell-Luke surgery is a surgical procedure performed to treat diseases of the ear, nose and throat. The operation is named after two prominent otolaryngologists - the American doctor George Washington Caldwell and the French doctor Georges Louis Luc.

Caldwell and Luke were contemporaries and worked together in the 19th century. They have performed many successful operations to treat ear and nose diseases, including polyp removal, hearing restoration, and tumor treatment.

However, despite their successful work, they had differences in their treatment methods. Caldwell was a proponent of radical treatments, including ear and nose surgery, while Luke was more conservative and preferred to treat diseases without surgery.

In 1908, Caldwell proposed a new operation to treat nasal polyps, the Caldwell-Luca procedure. It consisted of removing the polyp through an incision in the nasal septum and subsequent tissue reconstruction. This operation became very popular and was widely used for many years.

Today, the Caldwell-Luca operation remains one of the most common methods of treating polyposis rhinosinusitis. However, it has its drawbacks and can lead to complications such as bleeding and infection. Therefore, before undergoing surgery, it is necessary to conduct a thorough examination and discuss all possible risks and benefits with your doctor.