Otosclerosis, Stapes Surgery

Since there was no thread about "otosclerosis" or "stapes surgery" in the "Research News" section, I created one.

Changes in Hearing Threshold and Tinnitus Severity after Stapes Surgery: Which Is More Important to the Patient’s Quality of Life?
https://doi.org/10.1159/000500992

Abstract
Background:
Stapes surgery is a common method of treatment of otosclerosis, and its effectiveness is reported based on audiometric hearing thresholds. Audiometric tests do not gauge the impact of tinnitus severity and auditory function on quality of life (QOL) after stapes surgery.

Objective:
To measure self-assessed QOL in otosclerosis patients after stapedotomy in terms of three major factors: change in audiometric hearing threshold, subjective hearing benefit, and tinnitus severity.

Method:
This prospective clinical study included 191 patients who underwent stapedotomy between April and October 2017 due to otosclerosis. All patients were tested by pure tone audiometry and filled in a questionnaire before surgery and 6 months afterwards. Subjective hearing was assessed with the Abbreviated Profile for Hearing Aid Benefit (APHAB); tinnitus severity was established using the Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI), and the QOL was measured by the Glasgow Benefit Inventory (GBI).

Results:
Statistical analysis showed that the average GBI total score (mean = 33.7; SD = 23.7) was statistically significantly higher than zero (t = 19.7; p < 0.001). Based on a regression model, all the three variables studied – audiometric hearing thresholds change, APHAB change, and TFI change – had a significant effect on QOL after stapedotomy. Interestingly, the highest beta value (b = 0.040; p < 0.001) was for TFI change, implying that TFI change had the greatest effect on QOL.

Conclusion:
Although the improvement of QOL after stapes surgery undoubtedly depended on improvement in both audiometric and self-reported hearing, the reduction of tinnitus severity had the greatest impact on increase in QOL.

 

So if someone's stape bone is intruding and reducing their hearing, cutting a small part of their bone away will help increase hearing and possibly reduce tinnitus? Of course patients quality of life goes up if tinnitus gets reduced. Interesting. Yet another thing to ask my ENT about. I will not rest until I've checked everything off the list, and as long as insurance is paid for the next half year then every doctor visit fits in the plan so no extra costs for now.

With my recent spike from who knows what... it's a pure SCREECHING, I'd do for a reduction in volume while waiting patiently for Lenire.

 

That's not what otosclerosis and stapedotomies/stapendectomies are about, though.

 

Prevalence and Severity of Tinnitus in Otosclerosis: Preliminary Findings from Validated Questionnaires

 

Hearing Status after Stapedotomy in Otosclerotic Patients

Abstract: Otosclerosis is the most frequent cause of conductive hearing loss in patients with intact tympanic membrane. It can be treated by surgery with various techniques. Because of limited manipulation and comparably similar results, stapedotomy at present is preferred over other surgical techniques by most surgeons. Here we present the operative results of 35 otosclerotic patients who underwent stapedotomy between January 2009 - October 2010 in the department of Otolaryngology- Head & Neck Surgery of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University, Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Shahid Suhrawardhy medical college & hospital, Dhaka. The aim of this study was to evaluate the hearing results following stapedotomy in otosclerosis surgery. The average air-bone gap of patients improved significantly to 21.74 dB after operation. Other hearing parameters of patients (including air conduction, bone conduction, speech discrimination score, and tinnitus) also improved. No patient experienced persistent vertigo after the operation and pre operative tinnitus resolved in 12 out of 22 patients. Stapedotomy is a safe and effective modality for improving conductive hearing loss in otosclerotic patients.

Full article see attached file

 

Three-dimensional exoscope-assisted laser stapedotomy: a preliminary experience

Purpose
Stapes surgery, despite the introduction of lasers and endoscopes, still represents a challenging procedure. Recently introduced 3-dimensional exoscopes have known advantages in otological surgery. This study aims to evaluate exoscopes role in stapes surgery, both from a surgical perspective and on the educational profile.

Methods
Seven consecutive otosclerosis patients underwent single-sided endaural laser stapedotomy with a 4K 3-dimensional exoscope. The surgical setting allowed all operating room personnel 3-dimensional vision. Pre- and postoperative pure tone audiometry and air-bone gaps, and information on the postoperative course and complications were systematically collected. An informal ergonomic evaluation was carried out by the operating room personnel and an informal didactic evaluation was provided by the trainees. A comparable group of microscope-assisted stapedotomy patients undergoing the same procedures and evaluations was chosen as a control group.

Results
Outcomes were solid in all patients, median air-bone gap decreased from 26.5 to 10 dB at the 3-month evaluation (p = 0.01, Wilcoxon’s test). No vertigo, tinnitus, or facial palsy was reported. The median operating time was 40 min. The compact design and configuration of the exoscope allowed more practical management of the operating theater. All personnel had the chance for a better understanding of the procedure and trainees felt more confident when asked to identify surgical landmarks and procedure steps. Audiological outcomes, operative times, and complication rates were not different between study and control groups.

Conclusion
Though further validation and systematic comparison with microscope- and endoscope-assisted stapedotomy are required, the exoscope proved a safe, practical, and educational tool.

Full article: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00405-021-06672-1

 

That is great news!