title: Piezoelectric stapedotomy: the importance of a micropulse program.
abstract: CONCLUSIONS
  We can consider the micropulse program as the best level of safety that should be used in all cases of piezoelectric stapedotomy.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to describe the importance of a micropulse program in determining the success of piezoelectric stapedotomy.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 112 patients (group A) affected by primary otosclerosis underwent piezoelectric stapedotomy for otosclerotic stapes fixation. A specific operative program was created to perforate the stapes footplate: this program makes it possible to perforate the footplate of the stapes with a predetermined and non-modifiable temporization. Before and 1 year after surgery, all the patients underwent the following instrumental examinations: pure-tone audiometry, tympanometry, transient-evoked otoacoustic emissions, distortion product otoacoustic emissions, and auditory brainstem response. Results were compared with those obtained from 30 patients who underwent piezoelectric stapedotomy without the specific operative program (group B).
  
  
  RESULTS
  At 1 year after surgery, with regard to the pure-tone audiometry test, all patients had an air-bone gap (ABG) reduction: no worsening of the bone conduction and no postoperative sensorineural hearing loss were found. In group A, there was a closure of the ABG within 10 dB in all patients.
authors.affiliation: ENT Department, University of Genoa, Genoa, Italy.
authors.forename: Angelo
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Salami
authors.forename: Renzo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mora
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Crippa
authors.forename: Massimo
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dellepiane
authors.forename: Luca
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Guastini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001844:Bone Conduction; D004598:Electrosurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006320:Hearing Tests; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008866:Microsurgery / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000601:surgery*; D013200:Stapes Mobilization / Q000295:instrumentation*; D014464:Ultrasonic Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*