Otosclerosis: The effect of stapes surgery on the bone conduction audiogram.
OBJECTIVE
The present study defines the extent of bone conduction loss that can be accounted for by stapes fixation.


METHODS
Prospective clinical evaluation.


METHODS
Tertiary.


METHODS
Two hundred consecutively operated cases. All patients have been operated by the first author.


METHODS
Posterior partial stapedectomy with a platinum-Teflon piston over a perichondral graft.


METHODS
The bone conduction is studied preoperatively, 1 week, 1 month, and 1 year after surgery.


RESULTS
There are at least 3 postoperative gain patterns that change with time, from 1 week to 1 year after surgery. These are patients with maximum gain at 1, 2, and 4 kHz.


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that these changes are due to the relation of the preoperative and postoperative oval window transfer functions. The gain in the 3 postoperative audiometric thresholds can be approximated by looking at the characteristics of the preoperative bone conduction audiogram.
Antoli-Candela
Francisco
F
Instituto ORL Antoli Candela, University of Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria, Spain. iac@antolicandela.com
Gomez-Molinero
Francisco
F
Busturia-Berrade
Ignacio
I