Current practice of stapedectomy in Great Britain

Since the introduction of stapedectomy with reconstruction of the ossicular chain to Great Britain, many modifications in practice have taken place. The changes include patient selection, operative technique and the type of prosthesis used, as well as the number of operations performed yearly. The aim of this study is to attempt to establish the actual practice among British otolaryngology consultants by means of a simple questionnaire. Two hundred (50.3%) forms were analysed anonymously. The study confirms the decrease in the number of operations performed annually, the absence of centralization for this type of surgery in Great Britain and also demonstrated the trends towards stapedotomy and the practice of bilateral surgery amongst younger consultants.