title: Effect of the stapedotomy technique on early post-operative hearing results--Preliminary results.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare three stapedotomy modalities used to fenestrate the stapes footplate in patients with primary otosclerosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  The non-randomized and unblinded one-center study included 48 patients with primary otosclerosis who underwent stapes surgery between May 2008 and April 2009. The patients were divided into three groups (single shot and two-shot CO(2) laser stapedotomy, perforator) depending on the modality used for stapedotomy. Bone conduction (BC) and air conduction (AC) thresholds, air-bone gap (ABG), and the difference between mean pre-operative and 2- to 3-week post-operative BC thresholds were analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The temporary BC deterioration was most pronounced at 6 and 8kHz after 2-shot laser stapedotomy. A significant drop in AC or BC was not found in any of our 48 patients. Age, high-dose cortisone therapy, and 'preoperative hearing' did not influence the post-operative hearing results.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Even though the number of patients presented here was small and statistical analysis was limited, the study showed a trend toward worse BC thresholds at 6 and 8kHz after a second shot CO(2) application. Whenever possible, treatment should avoid a second laser shot on the already opened inner ear with the laser parameters used for the initial shot.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Rostock, Doberaner Strasse 137-139, D-18057 Rostock, Germany. tino.just@med.uni-rostock.de
authors.forename: Tino
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Just
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Guder
authors.forename: Hans Wilhelm
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Pau
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D001844:Bone Conduction; D005260:Female; D006309:Hearing; D034381:Hearing Loss; D006801:Humans; D054020:Lasers, Gas / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000601:surgery*; D011184:Postoperative Period; D013201:Stapes Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome