CO2 laser stapedotomy: is it practical?

The argon laser has been described as an instrument capable of performing stapedotomy for otosclerosis. Because of the possibility of cost ineffectiveness and damage to the saccule using the argon laser, this study was undertaken to ascertain the possibility of using the CO2 laser for stapedotomy. the operation was done on seven cats, and the resulting histopathologic findings were studied. Stapedotomy was also performed with the CO2 laser on human cadaver temporal bones to measure temperature changes in the vestibule and to develop guidelines for the laser's use in humans. The authors' results indicated that the CO2 laser can be used effectively and safely in cats and should be considered for human use.