Plester Suction Tube — Tübingen TORP/PORP Era

The Plester suction tube is Dieter Plester’s (1923-2001) design (Tübingen otology) for the ossicular-reconstruction era of tympanoplasty surgery — the period in the 1970s-1990s when synthetic total ossicular replacement prostheses (TORPs) and partial ossicular replacement prostheses (PORPs) replaced autograft cartilage as the standard ossiculoplasty material. The Plester suction is sized for the prosthesis-positioning field, with a slightly different bore-to-length ratio than the Rosen pattern.

The Plester-versus-Rosen choice

Both Plester and Rosen suctions serve micro-otologic surgery; the differences are subtle — slightly different tip geometry, different ergonomic balance between length and bore. Surgeons trained in the Plester (German) tradition often preferentially use Plester suction; the Rosen (American) tradition preferentially uses Rosen suction. Outcomes are equivalent; the choice reflects training-school heritage.

The TORP/PORP placement context

Synthetic ossicular reconstruction (TORP for absent stapes superstructure, PORP for intact stapes) demands precise prosthesis positioning between the malleus handle (or tympanic membrane graft) and the stapes head or footplate. The Plester suction supports this precise placement by keeping the field clear without disturbing the prosthesis-positioning area.