Sacculo-collic response in otosclerosis and following successful stapes surgery.

INTRODUCTION

The sacculo-collic reflex is believed to be a short latency, otolith-mediated myogenic response to sound. With the application of air-conducted sound, one would expect an absent response in stapes fixation, as a fixed stapes footplate will not transmit a pressure wave to the saccule.

METHODS

Fifty patients (70 stapes surgery ears, 26 otosclerotic ears and four normal ears) and 40 controls underwent repeated sacculo-collic tests.

RESULTS

The results support the proposed mechanism for the sacculo-collic response. The study also suggests that, whilst stapedotomy piston prostheses are effective in the reversal of conductive hearing loss, they produce an insufficient pressure wave to elicit a myogenic response to sound.

CONCLUSION

The sacculo-collic test could be a useful tool for screening otolith function and inferior vestibular nerve integrity, but further work is needed to determine the effect of stapes surgery on saccular function.