Hearing Changes after Stapes Surgery in Otosclerosis

Park, Min Hyun; Oh, Seung Ha; Kim, Chong Sun; Chang, Sun O

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Hearing loss is the main symptom of otosclerosis. Stapes surgery could restore the hearing ability, but the amount of restoration was changed as time passed. The aims of this study were to analyze the outcome of primary stapes surgery in otosclerosis and to compare hearing changes in stapedectomy and stapedotomy group.
SUBJECTS AND METHOD
This study involved 221 ears, which were operated on for otosclerosis in Seoul National University Hospital from 1983 to 2005. We analyzed the hearing results of stapes surgery regarding air conduction, bone conduction, air-bone gap using the operation methods in preoperative, postoperative 1, 3, 6, 12, 24 months and after 36-months period.
RESULTS
Stapedectomy was performed in 75 ears and stapedotomy in 146 ears. There were no differences of mean age, preoperative hearing between stapedectomy and stapedotomy group. In the postoperative period, hearing thresholds were significantly decreased compared with preoperative period in each group. The stapedectomy group showed more improvement of air conduction and reduction of AB gap than the stapedotomy group. Results of bone conduction showed no difference after the postoperative 12 months period between the two groups. Hearing improvement went on upto postoperative 12 months. Development of sensorineural hearing loss was found in two patients (2.7%) in the stapedectomy group and in one patient (0.68%) in the stapedotomy group.
CONCLUSION
Stapedectomy showed better hearing results, but had more risks of sensorineural hearing loss in this study.