High frequency hearing following stapes surgery.

CONCLUSION

Our results indicate that a pre-existing sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) is not a potential risk factor for further hearing loss in stapes surgery.

OBJECTIVE

The study evaluated whether pre-existing SNHL in otosclerosis constitutes a risk factor for further hearing loss in stapedotomy.

METHODS

Preoperative and postoperative audiometric evaluation including air (AC) and bone conduction (BC) hearing levels were assessed together with collection of surgical records from 338 consecutively operated cases for primary otosclerosis using a database. Patients were operated by the same surgeon between 2000 and 2006. In all, 291 patients were operated on 1 side and 47 patients were operated on both sides. Ages ranged from 16 to 76 years. Stapedotomy was performed in all cases except five (stapedectomy). Cases were separated into four different groups based on preoperative AC hearing levels at 4, 6, and 8 kHz: group I, <30 dB HL; group II, 30-50 dB HL; group III, 51-70 dB HL; group IV, >70 dB HL).

RESULTS

Hearing deterioration at 4, 6, and 8 kHz (>10 dB) was observed in 6.5% of all cases. Patients with normal preoperative hearing were found to be more prone to further SNHL 4, 6, and 8 kHz (range 13-25 dB) at surgery, while patients in group IV, with preoperative SNHL impairment, remained unaffected.