Preliminary investigation of the effect of CO2 laser assisted stapedotomy on the treatment of advanced otosclerosis / 中国耳鼻咽喉头颈外科

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE To explore the outcomes of CO2 laser assisted stapedotomy with artificial stapes prostheses in the treatment of advanced otosclerosis. METHODS Between January 2010 and January 2014, 15 patients (16 ears) diagnosed as advanced otosclerosis accepted CO2 laser assisted stapedotomy with artificial stapes implantation in our department. The averaged preoperative air conduction threshold of the speech frequency was 70.21 dB HL, the averaged bone conduction threshold was 38.49 dB HL, the averaged air-bone gap (ABG) was 31.72 dB HL. All cases were followed up for more than 6 months after operation. RESULTS All cases accepted auditory follow up after 6 months postoperatively. The speech frequency average air conduction threshold was 43.7 dB HL, the average bone conduction threshold was 28.95 dB HL, the average ABG was 14.75 dB HL. The ABG≤20 dB was achieved in 9 ears (56.3%) and ABG closure (≤10 dB) was achieved in 6 ears (37.5%). No cases appeared intractable vertigo, sensorineural hearing loss, secondary facial paralysis and other serious complications. CONCLUSION CO2 laser assisted technique reduced the probability of serious complications of stapedotomy, most patients with hearing level improved significantly. It's a safe, practical, relatively economical choice for advanced otosclerosis.