title: Acute infectious complications in stapes surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this report is to describe the symptoms, management and outcomes of three patients who developed infection related complications within one month after stapes surgery. A literature review of early post-operative complications following stapes surgery will also be presented.
  
  
  METHODS
  Private tertiary medical center.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a report of three patients diagnosed with otosclerosis who were operated by the senior author in a span of 16 years from 1993 to 2009.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The first patient was a young man who experienced complications brought about by recurrent upper respiratory tract infection and Eustachian tube dysfunction due to enlarged palatine tonsils. The second patient was a woman who developed acute suppurative otitis media after stapes surgery of the left ear. When she underwent stapes surgery for the right ear, she had an upper respiratory tract infection two days after the procedure. The third patient was a known diabetic female who developed otitis media and had a prolonged recovery despite being managed by an endocrinologist prior to stapes surgery. Two patients fully recovered and hearing eventually improved on the operated side while one patient did not benefit from stapes surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Complications in stapes surgery are very rare in the past and at present. However, complications still happen. Effective, timely medical treatment, vigilance and proper follow-up advice always lead to favourable outcomes.
authors.affiliation: Institut G. Portmann, 114 avenue d'Arbs, 33074 Bordeaux cedex, France.
authors.forename: R R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Ricalde
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Portmann
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000209:etiology*; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000209:etiology*; D013201:Stapes Surgery / Q000009:adverse effects*