[Causes and results of reoperations following stapedectomy]

The records of 145 patients who underwent revision stapedectomy were analysed to determine the causes of failure of the previous operation, the hearing results and the postoperative complaints. Displacement of the prosthesis was the most common cause of failure (49%). Other surgical findings, sometimes in combination, were a short prosthesis (35%), middle ear adhesions (23%), otosclerotic regrowth (14%) and eroded incus (10%). No specific cause of failure was identified in 6% of the revisions. Thirty-eight per cent of revision operations resulted in a hearing gain to a level less than 10 dB conduction loss and 61% to less than 20 dB. Slight sensorineural hearing loss after revision surgery occurred in 5%. 'Dead ears' were encountered in 2% as against 0.6% in the primary cases. Tinnitus was the most common complaint (21%) at the 3 week postoperative follow-up, declining to 7% four months postoperatively.