OmniGuide, Cambridge, Mass, reports clinical study results that it says demonstrate the safety and efficacy of its handheld fiber for CO2 laser stapedotomy and the availability of two next-generation products for otology.

The company recently showcased its new BeamPath OTO products, featuring fiber and handpiece designs, at the Combined Otolaryngology Spring Meetings (COSM) in Las Vegas.

According to the Center for Disease Control, hearing loss affects 36 million people in the United States, and the company says it is often due to fixation of the vibrating bones that conduct sound in the middle ear—a specific condition called otosclerosis.

The company notes that the surgical procedure to repair hearing loss due to otosclerosis is stapes surgery, and lasers are used to precisely cut and manipulate the miniscule bones of the ear to restore hearing. There are several types of lasers used for stapes surgery, and two of the most frequently used are the handheld KTP laser and the handheld CO2 laser. These lasers are very different in the way they interact with tissue but are used to serve the same purpose.

[Source: OmniGuide]