title: Erbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser application in stapedotomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess clinical safety and efficacy of the erbium: yttrium-aluminum-garnet (Er:YAG) laser in the stapes surgery; to define and optimize parameters that render the procedure safe for the inner ear.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective study.
  
  
  METHODS
  A microscope-integrated Er:YAG laser stapedotomy was performed on 29 patients and a conventional stapedotomy on 41 patients. An early (within 1 to 3 days after stapes surgery) and late (at least 6 weeks) pure-tone bone-conduction threshold audiogram was obtained.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No statistically significant differences were found by Student's t test over all measured frequencies between pre- and postoperative bone-conduction thresholds in each group. There was no statistically significant difference for all frequencies between early (3 days) and late postoperative mean bone-conduction thresholds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of our preliminary clinical study showed that erbium laser poses no risk to inner ear function. However, the lack of standardization obliges further investigation to establish safe clinical parameters of the Er:YAG laser.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Otolaryngology, Catholic University of Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy. jacopo.galli@iol.it
authors.forename: Jacopo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Claudio
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Parrilla
authors.forename: Antonella
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Fiorita
authors.forename: Maria Raffaella
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Marchese
authors.forename: Gaetano
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Paludetti
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001844:Bone Conduction / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D017075:Laser Coagulation / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013201:Stapes Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome