[Subjective intraoperative hearing self-assessment in patients after stapedotomy comparing to postoperative pure-tone...

In otosclerosis patients the most common procedure followed at Otosurgical Dept. Medical University of Lodz is stapedotomy with insertion of teflon-piston prosthesis. When surgery is finished a whisper hearing test is done from the 1 meter distance for brief intraoperative hearing improvement assessment. There is a number of patient who report subjective intraoperative hearing improvement which is not confirmed by postoperative pure-tone audiometry (2-3rd post-op day).

was the analysis of factors influencing stapedotomy (teflon-piston procedure) patients in which intraoperative hearing improvement was not confirmed by postoperative pure-tone audiometry.

Retrospective analysis of postoperative hearing results in patients who underwent stapedotomy (teflon-piston operation) at the Otosurgical Dept. Medical University of Lodz from 2005 to 2009.

The total number of 142 stapedotomies were analyzed. In 27 ears no hearing improvement was reported (19.1%). Among them 18 reported intraoperative hearing improvement not confirmed on postoperative pure-tone audiometry and 9 cases intraopertively reported no hearing improvement. Patients in Group A (hearing improvement 1-2 month post stapedotomy)--12 cases (44.4%) with hearing improvement confirmed by pure-tone audiometry and Group B--5 cases (55.6%) in which no sign of hearing improvement in pure-tone audiometry was reported.

In patients who intraopertively reported hearing improvement not supported by the pure-tone audiometry the following factors seem to play a vital role: a) strong suggestion and willingness of improvement after surgical treatment, b) specific condition of the whisper hearing test at the operating room environment, c) patient's stress during the surgery and strong fear of possible revision surgery.