title: A novel laser-assisted stapedotomy technique for congenital stapes fixation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether a novel laser-assisted stapedotomy technique is effective in treating congenital stapes fixation.
  
  
  METHODS
  With this surgical method, the suprastructure of the stapes is vaporized continuously from the superior half of the anterior crus to the inferior part of the posterior crus using a potassium-titanyl-phosphate (KTP) laser. The midmost point of the vaporization is the head of the stapes. This method was used to treat three patients with congenital stapes fixation (total of four ears).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average hearing gain using this method was 32.2 dB, which lasted for at least 1 year. No complications were observed.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This novel laser-assisted stapedotomy technique is an excellent method for the treatment of congenital stapes fixation.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology--Head and Neck Surgery, Okayama University, Graduate Schools of Medicine and Dentistry Shikata-cho 2-5-1, Okayama 700-8558, Japan. nishizak@cc.okayama-u.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Nishizaki
authors.forename: Shin
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kariya
authors.forename: Kunihiro
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Fukushima
authors.forename: Yorihisa
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Orita
authors.forename: Mitsuhiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Okano
authors.forename: Manabu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Maeta
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001299:Audiometry; D002648:Child; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000151:congenital* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D053685:Laser Therapy; D008297:Male; D020127:Recovery of Function / Q000502:physiology; D013199:Stapes / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000503:physiopathology; D013201:Stapes Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome