Objective: To further optimize the surgical technique with the CO 2 laser in stapes surgery a scanner system was used to obtain a footplate perforation of 0.5 to 0.6 mm with only 1 laser application ("one-shot" stapedotomy).
Study design: 188 patients with otosclerosis were submitted to a primary CO 2 laser stapedotomy with the SurgiTouch scanner. This study surveys the surgical technique and clinical results.
Results: An adequately large perforation diameter could be achieved with a single shot in 68% of the patients treated with the SurgiTouch scanner. In 11% of the patients, a second laser application at the same site was necessary. In 21% of the patients, the perforation had to be enlarged by several slightly overlapping laser applications without scanner. The clinical data of this study clearly documents that there is no evidence of laser depending inner ear affections.
Conclusion: The CO 2 laser combined with modern scanner systems is well suited for application in stapes surgery.