Early postoperative results in stapedectomy

To measure early audiometric changes after primary stapedotomy.

Case series with chart review.

Academic inner-city hospitals.

Consecutive patients operated on by the first author were included (only 1 ear in cases of bilateral surgery), and their audiometric results were reviewed. Data were analyzed from 45 ears. Air and bone audiometric measures were analyzed from 5 days post operation and 6 months post operation. Threshold shifts were quantified at 5 days and 6 months post operation.

Overall results for the group were good, with 91% of patients achieving an air-bone gap less than or equal to 10 dB by 6 months post operation. Threshold shifts in at least 1 frequency were common at 5 days (62% of patients), but less so at 6 months (36%). Patients with shifts did not have worse overall outcomes at 6 months than those with no shifts. No difference in results was observed for the 2 prostheses used in this series.

Early audiometric results after stapedectomy commonly reveal worsened bone conduction (postoperative threshold shifts), which may reflect cochlear trauma, but do not lead to poorer outcomes as measured by conventional methods.