Abstract

Objectives: To compare the audiological outcomes of two different approaches of stapes surgery, stapedotomy versus partial stapedectomy. Specifically, our experience in this area will be reviewed and compared to results from other centers performing this kind of surgery. Methods: A retrospective chart review of patients who underwent a stapes surgery between 1997 and 2015. A total of 84 surgeries were performed during this period. Seventy-seven subjects were included in the present study. The audiological results as well as the postoperative vertigo were compared. Results: There is significant improvement demonstrated in postoperative closure of Air Bone Gap in both groups. The partial stapedectomy group showed a significant improvement of air–bone gap closure of 10 dB or more (500 Hz to 2000 Hz) compared with the stapedotomy group, which was achieved in 53.1% and 42.2% of both group respectively. Interestingly, by including the full range of speech frequencies (500 Hz to 4000 Hz), the stapedotomy procedure showed better audiological results than partial stapedectomy. The postoperative vertigo was higher in the partial stapedectomy group. Conclusion: The results of this study clearly show that stapedotomy provides good audiometric results and a lower incidence of complications compared to partial stapedectomy.

Keywords: Stapedotomy; Stapedectomy; Stapes surgery