Transient evoked and distortion product otoacoustic emissions following successful stapes surgery

Background: The effect of stapes surgery on the recording of otoacoustic em issions is unknown. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the succes s of stapes surgery by using acoustically evoked otoacoustic emissions as a n objective and fast method for postoperative hearing evaluation. Methods: Transient evoked (TEOAE) and distortion product otoacoustic emissions (DPOA E) were measured consecutively in otosclerosis patients before as well as 3 and 6 months after stapes surgery. Results: Air-bone gaps in the pure-tone audiograms were significantly reduced in all patients. TEOAEs and DPOAEs w ere not measurable preoperatively and were only evident in one patient post operatively with low amplitudes in a narrow frequency range. Conclusions: D espite a subjective hearing improvement and a significant reduction of the conductive loss, otoacoustic emissions are only rarely evident after succes sful stapes surgery.