Stapedectomy in tympanosclerosis, hearing results

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the results of using stapedectomy to treat tympanosclerosis fixation of the footplate. A retrospective review of tympanosclerosis of the oval window with stapes fixation, after undergoing surgery. Eight patients underwent stapedectomy for tympanosclerotic stapes. Postoperative (post-op) air-bone gap (ABG) closure to within 10 dB was achieved in 25% of cases. An ABG of less than 20 dB was obtained in 87.5% of cases. The mean preoperative (pre-op) ABGs were 31.09 dB, and post-op ABGs were 13.28 dB. Significant post-op improvement of air conduction thresholds (more than, or equal to 20 dB) was found in 62.5% of cases. No significant sensorineural hearing loss was seen in this series with a mean pre-op bone-conduction threshold (BC) of 23.43 dB and a mean post-op BC threshold of 16.25 dB. The mean follow-up period was 6.5 months.