Otosclerosis and stapedoplasty in older adults.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the efficacy of stapedoplasty in patients aged 60 and older, based on audiometric data and a questionnaire about quality of life.


METHODS
A retrospective (1994-2000) study.


METHODS
People living in southern and central Italy.


METHODS
Sixty-three patients: 32 consecutive patients aged 60 and older (group 1) and 31 consecutive patients younger than 60 (group 2).


METHODS
In each patient, we evaluated the pre- and postoperative auditory thresholds. Each patient answered a questionnaire about postoperative quality of life.


RESULTS
When comparing the pre- and postoperative air conduction thresholds and air-bone gap in the patients aged 60 and older, a statistically significant (P <.001) improvement at each frequency was observed. When elaborating the answers to the questionnaire about postoperative quality of life, we noticed that the older patients experienced a greater improvement.


CONCLUSIONS
The results show that stapedoplasty offers greater improvement in quality of life for selected adults aged 60 and older than for younger adults. The operation also appears to be as safe for adults aged 60 and older as for younger adults. Stapedoplasty provides subjects with satisfactory social hearing level (hearing capacity sufficient for normal social relations) and slows the progression of otosclerosis. Providing older patients with good auditory functionality improves their state of health, quality of life, and cognitive processes.
Salvinelli
Fabrizio
F
Department of Otolaryngology, University School of Medicine, Rome, Italy. f.salvinelli@unicampus.it
Casale
Manuele
M
Trivelli
Maurizio
M
Di Peco
Valerio
V
Greco
Fabio
F
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001299:Audiometry; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery*; D011788:Quality of Life; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013201:Stapes Surgery; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome