[A case of obliteration of a round window in otosclerosis]

The article presents a brief review of the literature on the anatomy and physiology of the round window (RW) niche, the causes of occlusion, the diagnosis of this pathology, the features of auditory disorders and tactics when it is detected in patients with otosclerosis (OS). A clinical case of diagnosis and effective surgical treatment for obliteration of RW in a patient with advanced OS, which occurred in 2019 in 0.7% of cases, is described. Removal of RW niche obliteration was carried out with a curette and microcresis by smoothing the canopy over RW until partial visualization of the secondary membrane. It was this stage of the operation that made it possible to restore the normal hydrodynamics of the inner ear fluids and contributed to a functional result. Thus, the diagnosis of RW obliteration in patients with OS is difficult, but possible when using computed tomography of the temporal bones and assessing the mobility of the RW membrane or analyzing changes in hearing at the end of the operation, if it is performed under local anesthesia. The simultaneous performance of stapedoplasty and the removal of bone obliteration of RW makes it possible to safely achieve functional rehabilitation in patients with OS.