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Published online by Cambridge University Press: 01 December 2025
This study aimed to compare long-term audiological outcomes of diode laser stapedotomy, microdrill stapedotomy and combined potassium titanyl phosphate laser–microdrill stapedotomy, and to identify predictors of surgical success.
Surgical, audiological and complications data were collected. Surgical success was analysed via the measurement of post-operative air–bone gap, air conduction gain.
A total of 615 patients were included; median follow-up was 16 months (range 1–1319). Overall, the 94.3 per cent achieved surgical success (air–bone gap < 15 dB). Median air–bone gap closure was 5 dB (interquartile range: 2.50–8.12), and median air conduction gain was 27.5dB (interquartile range: 19.37–36.25).
Compared across techniques, success rates were similar; however, post-operative air–bone gap was significantly better with laser techniques than with microdrill alone (p = 0.016). Longer prostheses were associated with improved outcomes.
All the examined techniques showed excellent audiological results. Laser use was associated with better post-operative air–bone gap than stapedotomy with microdrill only.
Martina Sebastiani takes responsibility for the integrity of the content of the paper