Abstract
Secretory otitis media (SOM) and recurrent acute otitis media (RAOM) may require surgical treatment to proper ventilate the middle ear. Incisional myringotomy is usually done under microscopy with a micro-knife, but it remains patent for just a few days. Recent research indicates that laser assisted myringotomies remain open much longer, allowing middle ear ventilation and healing. MATERIAL AND METHODS: In this experimental study 34 white, male, adult, Wistar rats, without middle ear disease were submitted to anesthesia with ketamine 27 mg/kg and xylazine 2,7 mg/kg. Incisional myringotomy was done on the right ear, while laser myringotomy was done on the left. Myringotomies were evaluated periodically until healing. RESULTS: The healing times were equivalent. All myringotomies healed within 10 days. CONCLUSION: Argon laser assisted myringotomy healed just as early on as incisional myringotomy on Wistar rats without middle ear diseases.