Stapedotomy with microdrill or carbon dioxide laser: influence on inner ear function.

Objectives: A prospective randomized audiological analysis of 336 otosclerosis operations was conducted to compare the evolution of bone conduction thresholds after primary stapedotomy with two different techniques to open the footplate: microdrill and carbon dioxide laser stapedotomy.

Methods: To monitor the inner ear function, we compared the preoperative bone conduction thresholds with the postoperative levels at day 2, week 2, week 6, and month 6. Evolution of the bone conduction was compared for the two studied groups (laser versus microdrill).