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Effectiveness of the CO 2 laser in experimental tympanic neurectomy
Author(s) -
Lima José A.,
Wilpizeski Chester R.
Publication year - 1980
Publication title -
the laryngoscope
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.181
H-Index - 148
eISSN - 1531-4995
pISSN - 0023-852X
DOI - 10.1002/lary.5540900308
Subject(s) - promontory , medicine , microsurgery , surgery , laser , audiometry , conductive hearing loss , neurectomy , audiology , middle ear , hearing loss , optics , physics , archaeology , history , alternative medicine , pathology
As one of a series of investigations to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CO 2 lasers in otologic microsurgery, squirrel monkeys were subjected to tympanic neurectomies by means of vaporizing Jacobson's nerve in the promontory region. Air and bone conduction hearing acuity was measured by computer‐averaged pure tone evoked responses and behavioral audiometry before and after laser surgery. A moderate (avoidable) conductive loss was found as a consequence of the surgical approach selected, but no significant sensorineural loss was apparent. Thus, there would appear to be no adverse cochlear side effects as a result of using this instrument in the middle ear. The laser neurectomy procedure, however, was no more effective for the clinical purposes for which it was proposed than those techniques reported by several other investigators.