Audiological outcomes and their association with quality of life in patients undergoing stapedotomy

Some preoperative and postoperative audiological outcomes may be associated with quality of life (QoL) in stapedotomy patients.

The aim of this study is to determine which frequencies and conduction pathways improve following this surgery and to assess their effects on QoL.

Cases who underwent small fenestra stapedotomy were retrospectively reviewed. Preoperative and postoperative pure tone audiometry were evaluated. The Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI) questionnaire was also administered to assess the impact of the operation on their QoL. The relationship between audiologic results and QoL was also examined.

A total of 45 ears from 41 patients were included in the study. There is a statistically significant improvement in postoperative mean air conduction (AC), bone conduction (BC) and air-bone gap (ABG) values compared to preoperative values (p < .001). A significant moderate correlation was found between preoperative mean ABG and GBI scores, and between postoperative improvements in AC thresholds and ABG at all frequencies (500, 1,000, 2,000 and 4,000 Hz) and GBI scores (0.3<r < 0.7, p < .05). Among the postoperative BC thresholds, only the improvement at 2,000 Hz was found to have an effect on the GBI score (r = .309, p = .049).

Audiological outcomes following stapedotomy had an impact on QoL. Preoperative ABG can be used as an indicator of postoperative QOL.