Abstract

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to observe differences in the efficacy of laser and surgical treatments of middle-ear conductive hearing loss (MECHL).

MATERIALS and METHODS: A total of 276 ears of 267 patients with MECHL were divided into laser (n=172) and surgical (n=104) treatment groups according to the treatment method. Changes in the air–bone gap (ABG) after treatment and at the time of final follow-up were compared. An ABG value <20 dB was defined as effective and an ABG value <10 dB, significantly effective. The long-term treatment effects were also compared at the time of final follow-up. Additionally, postoperative adverse reactions were recorded for both the groups.

RESULTS: The mean follow-up period was 76.77±43.62 months (range: 12–168 months). No significant difference in ABG was found between the two groups (21.31±11.64 dB vs. 19.14±9.79 dB, p>0.05). However, the laser treatment group showed slightly better results than the surgical treatment group at the final follow-up, although the difference between the groups was not found to be significant (11.69±9.98 dB vs. 12.62±10.94 dB, p>0.05). There was no difference in the long-term treatment effects between the two groups (effective: 87.21% vs. 88.46%, p>0.05; significantly effective: 55.81% vs. 56.73%, p>0.05). The incidence rates of postoperative adverse reactions were not significantly different.

CONCLUSION: The treatment efficacy of laser and surgical treatments for MECHL are similar.