Failures in surgery for stapedial otosclerosis.

The causes for failure in surgery for stapedial otosclerosis are many. Most of these occur in the early postoperative period. Failures occurring later are due to either a breakdown of the reconstructed transformer system or to a labyrinthitis due to failure of the vestibular seal. The role of cochlear otospongiosis in producing late failures has not been sufficiently emphasized. This clinical review of 105 surgical failures examined consecutively during the years of 1975 through 1979 will demonstrate the importance of cochlear otospongiosis in this consideration. The fate of the unoperated-on ear in unilateral surgical failures will be demonstrated. Control of the progressive sensorineural hearing loss in these instances can be gained by the use of sodium fluoride therapy.