Vol. 94 No.6 June　2001

Laser Assisted Middle Ear Surgery

Kazunori Nishizaki  (Okayama University)

Although modern laser systems offer excellent hematostatic ability and accurate cutting, the use of the laser in ear microsurgery has not become widespread other than in stapes surgery, mainly due to cost ineffectiveness and lack of recognition of the laser as an essential tool. However, the refinement of laser technology such as the flashscanner has brought attention to the use of lasers in the treatment of secretory otitis media. Laser assisted tympanic membrane fenestration is discussed with a review of the literature. In addition, a description of the tecnique used for laser assisted tympanoplasty, which we perform for resection tympanosclerotic lesions in chronic otitis media or extripating cholesteatoma medial to the ossicles, is reported.

Key words : middle ear surgery, laser assisted tympanic membrane fenestration, laser assisted tympanoplasty