Premium
Prospective Clinical Study on Cochlear Function after Erbium:Yttrium‐Aluminum‐Garnet Laser Stapedotomy
Author(s) -
Keck Tilman,
Bürner Harald,
Rettinger Gerhard
Publication year - 2005
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 - 10.1097/01.mlg.0000173164.64044.74
Subject(s) - otosclerosis , medicine , bone conduction , surgery , vertigo , prospective cohort study , audiology
Objective: To assess whether the application of the emitting erbium:yttrium‐aluminum‐garnet (Er:YAG) laser in stapedotomy has negative effects on vestibular and cochlear functions. Design: Prospective, with 12 to 14 months follow‐up. Setting: Academic tertiary referral center. Patients: Twenty‐four patients undergoing stapedotomy (primary surgery) in otosclerosis. Intervention: All patients underwent Er:YAG laser‐assisted stapedotomy for otosclerosis between January 2000 and June 2002. Main Outcome Measures: Early (1–3 days after surgery) and late (12–14 months after surgery) postoperative bone‐conduction thresholds and the presence of post‐operative tinnitus and vertigo were analyzed. In addition, the relation between applied laser energy and postoperative bone‐conduction thresholds was calculated. Results: In 22 patients, unchanged preoperative minus early postoperative pure‐tone bone‐conduction averages at 1, 2, and 4 kHz were observed. In one patient, a slight early deterioration between 10 and 20 dB was seen. In 18 patients, unchanged preoperative minus late postoperative pure‐tone bone‐conduction averages at 1, 2, and 4 kHz were observed. In two patients, a slight late deterioration between 10 and 20 dB was seen. In two patients, a new postoperative tinnitus was observed. No patient suffered from vertigo at the time of second evaluation. No correlation between applied laser energy and both postoperative bone‐conduction thresholds was found. Conclusions: The Er:YAG laser stapedotomy in otosclerosis is a safe technique. Vestibular and cochlear function is not significantly disturbed after Er:YAG laser stapedotomy.