title: Balance after stapedotomy: analysis of balance with computerized dynamic posturography.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to investigate vestibular symptoms and their effect on the balance in otosclerosis patients undergoing stapedotomy operations.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective study at an academic tertiary referral centre.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three patients undergoing stapedotomy were included in the study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sensory organisation test (SOT) protocol of computerized dynamic posturography was used to analyse the balance in patients preoperatively, in the first postoperative week and the first postoperative month. Postoperative vestibular symptoms were analysed with a grading system. Audiograms were obtained preoperatively and 1 month after the operation.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Preoperatively, all patients were asymptomatic when considering the vestibular system; however, eight of them got low SOT scores on vestibular examination. Postoperatively 82% of the patients had vestibular complaints in variable severity. In the first week, all but one patient become asymptomatic. This patient recovered by the end of postoperative second week. However, a significant drop in SOT scores was encountered at the first week testing (Student's T-test, P = 0.001). One month after the operation, all patients were asymptomatic and SOT scores recovered at least to preoperative level. Neither patient characteristics, nor audiological findings were found to be correlated with vestibular changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stapedotomy causes a temporary balance loss in a high percentage of patients which then recover to their former levels in the first postoperative month.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Uludağ University, Bursa, Turkey. oaozmen@yahoo.com
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Ozmen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ozmen
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Saraç
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Sennaroğlu
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Gürsel
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D003936:Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted; D005260:Female; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery; D011182:Postoperative Care; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D011184:Postoperative Period; D004856:Postural Balance; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013201:Stapes Surgery; D014717:Vertigo / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology; D014796:Visual Perception; D055815:Young Adult