The other ear: Findings and results in 1,800 bilateral stapedectomies

Objectives: To determine the incidence of middle ear abnormalities in patie nts with bilateral otosclerosis, which could potentially affect successful stapedectomy, and the rates of success in these patients, including the cha nce of overclosure in the second car. Study Design: Retrospective case review of operative and audiologic records . Setting: Private otology practice. Patients: One thousand eight hundred patients underwent 3,600 primary stape dectomies for bilateral otosclerosis. Intervention: Analysis of perioperative and follow-up audiograms with assoc iated operative findings, including obliterative otosclerosis and solid foo tplates, dehiscent or overhanging facial nerve, narrow oval window niche, p romontory overhang, and ossicular fixation or malformation. Main Outcome Measures: Audiologic stapedectomy success was determined as ov erclosure or closure of preoperative airbone gap to less than 10 dB at I ye ar or more of follow-up. Results: The rate of finding any abnormality was 25%. Abnormalities present bilaterally were found in 135 patients (7%), with otosclerosis requiring a n oval window drillout as the most common finding (41%), followed by dehisc ent or overhanging facial nerves (25%). Success in patients with abnormalit ies was 78% overall, with bilateral overclosure in 40%. Conclusions: Abnormal middle ear findings during stapedectomy occur in a si gnificant percentage of patients. Reasonable rates of success and overclosu re can still be expected, but this is somewhat finding-specific. The predic tive value of these findings, the associated rates of success with potentia l impact on surgical counseling, and planning for the "other ear" are discu ssed.