Laser Doppler vibrometry for interoperative monitoring

Laser Doppler vibrometry is well established in hearing research, since this technique enables to monitor tiny motions in a touch flee mode. The sensitivity to measure the amplitude of vibrations is at 0.5 nm at 100 Hz and 0.05 nm at 1 kHz. Even when laser Doppler vibrometry is a technique with a high potential of application in ENT, its use in clinical routine is rare so far. Beside other reasons this is due to the mechanical dimensions and the weight of the interferometer of a vibrometer. Here an optical set-up is presented which combines an operating microscope and a fiber guided laser Doppler vibrometer. The system is easy to handle and fulfils the conditions for sterility.