Long-term hearing results of stapedotomy: analysis of factors affecting outcome

To evaluate long-term hearing results of stapedotomy and analyze the influence of patient-, disease-, and procedure-related variables.

Retrospective case series.

Tertiary referral center.

230 ears (202 patients, 10-74 years) underwent stapedotomy for otosclerosis between January 2008 and August 2014. All cases had early postoperative follow-up (4 weeks post-surgery) and 181 cases had late postoperative follow-up (≥ 1 year, average 32.5 months).

Stapedotomy procedure for otosclerosis.

Hearing outcome using conventional audiometry. The primary outcome parameter was the postoperative air-bone gap pure-tone average. Postoperative air-bone gap ≤ 10 dB was defined as surgical success. Preoperative, early postoperative and late postoperative hearing results were compared. Influence of patient- and procedure-related variables on hearing outcome was evaluated by logistic regression analysis.

The postoperative air-bone gap was 10 dB or less in 77.0% of cases early post-surgery and in 70.7% of cases in long-term follow-up. Air-bone gap closure within 20 dB was obtained in 95.7 and 92.3%, respectively. Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that a larger preoperative air-bone gap (p = 0.041) and positive family history of otosclerosis (p = 0.044) were predictive for less surgical success early postoperatively, but not on the long term. Age, gender, primary versus revision surgery, presence of preoperative tinnitus and preoperative vertigo did not independently and significantly influence postoperative air-bone gap closure.

Our series confirms excellent hearing results achieved in stapedotomy surgery, also in long-term follow-up. On the long-term no patient-, disease-, or procedure-related variables were identified as predictors of surgical success.