title: Tinnitus modulation by stapedectomy.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess change in tinnitus severity after stapedectomy using the validated Tinnitus Functional Index (TFI) at 1 and 6 months in 2 cohorts of subjects with otosclerosis with different preoperative (TFIpre) distress levels.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective within-subjects repeated measures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-six subjects completed the study between January 2012 and April 2013. Demographic information, preoperative and postoperative audiometric data at 1 month, and TFI scores measured preoperatively within 1 month of stapedectomy and postoperatively at 1 and 6 months were captured and analyzed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Stapedectomy has its largest effect on tinnitus severity reduction within the first month of surgery. Cohort A (TFIpre > 15, n = 16) ΔTFI mean and median values were ∼20 for the intervals preoperatively to 1 month and preoperatively to 6 months (p values < 0.01) and dropped to ∼0 for the interval between 1 and 6 months postoperatively. Cohort B (TFIpre < 15, n = 10) ΔTFI mean and median values were ∼0 for all time intervals (all pairwise comparison p values > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Stapedectomy in patients with otosclerosis with more than a small problem with tinnitus (TFIpre > 15) will reduce severity by at least 1 clinical category in ∼85% of cases within 6 months of surgery. The majority of patients will experience stable tinnitus suppression within the first postoperative month. In patients with no tinnitus or less than a small problem with tinnitus (TFIpre < 15), stapedectomy carries a 10% risk of transient worsening of tinnitus at 1 month, which resolves by the sixth postoperative month.
authors.affiliation: *Department of Otorhinolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of Texas, Houston Medical School and Texas Ear Center, Houston, Texas; and †Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, University of California, San Francisco, California, U.S.A.
authors.forename: C Y Joseph
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Steven W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Cheung
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006312:Hearing Loss, Bilateral / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010040:Otosclerosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013199:Stapes; D013201:Stapes Surgery / Q000379:methods*; D014012:Tinnitus / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D014025:Titanium; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D014025:Titanium