title: Proximal symphalangism and congenital conductive hearing loss: otologic aspects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Results of stapedectomy are reported in a Belgian 26-year-old woman and two Dutch brothers having the proximal symphalangism syndrome (McKusick 18580).
  
  
  METHODS
  Case reports are presented. A review of the results of ear surgery for congenital conductive hearing loss in this syndrome is given.
  
  
  METHODS
  The Belgian patient was treated in a general hospital. The Dutch patients were treated in a university hospital, which was a tertiary referral center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients were referred to have an evaluation of their hearing impairment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Based on the syndromal diagnosis and based on routine audiometric tests, a congenital ossicular fixation was considered to be the cause of the hearing loss. By exploratory tympanotomies, this was confirmed. Reconstructive procedures including stapedotomy were performed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Long-term audiometric data are presented to evaluate the outcome of the surgical interventions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Congenital stapes ankylosis eventually combined with a congenital fixation of the short process of the incus in the fossa incudis, causing the congenital conductive hearing loss. Surgical intervention is very successful in most reported cases, but negative side effects are incidentally found as well.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, University Hospital Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Ensink
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Sleeckx
authors.forename: C W
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Cremers
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D000844:Ankylosis / Q000150:complications* / Q000235:genetics*; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D016569:Blepharophimosis / Q000150:complications; D005260:Female; D005384:Finger Joint / Q000002:abnormalities*; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000151:congenital* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011300:Preoperative Care; D013199:Stapes / Q000002:abnormalities*; D013201:Stapes Surgery