Stapedectomy surgery in residency: KTP-532 laser versus argon laser

Stapedectomy for otosclerosis is one of the most demanding otologic procedures, especially for residents in training. The reported series in the literature, as well as our own experience with the traditional resident-performed complete stapedectomy, have been disappointing. The number of patients available to train residents in stapedectomy techniques has steadily declined. The challenge to the otologist involved in teaching residents and fellows is to find a method that will be safe and effective. Over the past 5 years, we have had an opportunity at the University of Texas Medical Branch at Galveston to compare two methods of performing a laser stapedotomy. The two methods involve using the KTP-532 laser with a micromanipulator and using the hand-held argon laser. Although the wavelengths of these two lasers are similar, the methods used in applying them are very different. Twenty-five consecutive cases in each group were reviewed with regards to technical difficulty, complication rate, operative time, and air-borne gap closure. The hand-held argon laser emerged as the preferred technique for teaching a routine stapedotomy to residents.