Authors: Witold Szyfter Daniela MielcarekKuchta Dorota MiętkiewskaLeszniewska Joanna ŁączkowskaPrzybylska Anna Młodkowska
Publish Date: 2013/12/06
Volume: 272, Issue: 1, Pages: 61-75
Abstract
Stapes surgery is performed using both conventional techniques and a variety of laser systems The ErYag laser is a type of pulsation laser deemed by many to be the safest for ear surgery The aim of this study was to assess the longterm effects of using the ErYag laser in stapes surgery and its impact on inner ear function The study was conducted on 95 ears 48 right and 47 left that had undergone ErYag laserassisted stapedotomy The followup time was at least 3 years Pure tone audiometry was performed on all patients The frequency ranged from 125 to 8000 Hz Air conduction and bone conduction were both assessed Moreover all patients had their stapedius reflex assessed and were given a Rinne test The results were evaluated according to the Committee on Hearing and Equilibrium guidelines and then statistically analyzed using the Wilcoxon sequence pair test with a p value of 005 A decrease in the hearing threshold of 05 1 and 3 kHz for both bone and air conduction was observed for all patients p 00001 The Wilcoxon sequence pair test revealed a statistically significant correlation between the pre and postoperative treatment mean airbone gap values p 00001 No facial nerve paralysis was observed No ErYag laser side effects were observed on inner ear function The patients also had lower hearing thresholds These observations demonstrate the usefulness of ErYag lasers in stapes surgery
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