Is the Er : YAG laser damaging to inner ear function?

Objective: To assess whether the use of the Er:YAG laser in middle ear surg ery has negative effects on inner ear function. Study Design: Prospective. Patients: Forty-nine patients with a 4- to 18-month postoperative audiologi c follow-up were included in the study (24 stapedotomies, 23 malleostapedot omies, 1 surgery for congenital ear atresia, and 1 tympanoplasty). Twenty p atients with conventional stapedotomy formed a control group. Results: No statistically significant differences in preoperative and posto perative bone conduction thresholds and no impairment of postoperative air conduction thresholds were found. There was no significant difference betwe en the results of the laser and the conventional stapedotomy. In addition, no relevant correlation between applied laser energy and postoperative hear ing results were found. In summary, the authors were unable to find a negat ive effect of the Er:YAG laser on inner ear function at the 4- to 18-month audiometric follow-up. Conclusion: The clinical use of the Er:YAG laser with the system used in th is study poses no risk to inner ear function if the total amount of energy is kept within the limits applied in this study.