Revision stapedectomy.

The need for revision stapedectomy surgery still exists despite the many changes that have occurred in the surgical technique for the treatment of stapedial otosclerosis over the past 30 years. Sixty-six revision stapes operations were analyzed to determine the causes of failure of previously operated cases of stapedial otosclerosis, and to evaluate the hearing results following a revision stapedectomy. Failure was most often due to erosion of the incus (41%), displacement of the prosthesis from the incus (24%), or migration of the prosthesis from the center portion of the oval window (24%). Postoperative improvement of hearing was observed in 81% of ears operated on for a conductive hearing loss. Closure to within 10 dB, however, occurred in 61%. Two ears suffered a deterioration in the sensorineural hearing level following the revision surgery. Speech discrimination scores following revision surgery were improved in 5% of ears and unchanged in the remainder. Although the overall hearing results are less favorable than those seen in primary stapedectomy, revision stapedectomy surgery should continue to be offered to patients whose primary stapes surgery failed or whose initial good result declined over time.