Stapes surgery: complications and airway infection

From a group of 1,111 patients who had stapedectomy or stapedotomy performed in a 10-year period, a thorough investigation was made of 11 patients who had a total hearing loss and 8 patients who developed a partial sensorineural hearing loss after operation. The data obtained indicate that postoperative infection with influenza virus may be responsible for unexpected complications following stapedectomy. A close relation was found between the appearance of complications and periods of epidemics of influenza.