TY - JOUR T1 - Study of the Improvement in Bone Conduction Threshold After Stapedectomy JO - Acta Otorrinolaringológica Española T2 - AU - García-Iza,Leire AU - Navarro,Juan José AU - Goiburu,Miren AU - Pérez,Nuria AU - Altuna,Xabier SN - 21735735 M3 - 10.1016/j.otoeng.2015.11.002 DO - 10.1016/j.otoeng.2015.11.002 UR - https://www.elsevier.es/en-revista-acta-otorrinolaringologica-espanola-402-articulo-study-improvement-in-bone-conduction-S2173573516300527 AB - Introduction and objectivesBone conduction threshold depression is not always a result of inner ear and cochlear nerve pathology. In fact, middle ear pathologies may be responsible for such threshold depression, as occurs in otosclerosis. The aims of this study were to evaluate the improvement of bone conduction threshold in patients with otosclerosis that underwent stapedectomy and to study the postoperative audiological results. Materials and methodsThis was a retrospective study on 95 patients (116 ears) diagnosed with otosclerosis having conductive or mixed hearing loss that received surgery (stapedectomy and complete removal of the footplate) consecutively. Audiometry was performed on all patients pre- and postoperatively (one month and one year after surgery). Bone and air conduction thresholds were measured at 4 frequencies (500, 1000, 2000 and 4000Hz). ResultsThe air-bone gap was closed, with a residual air-bone gap below 10dB in 92.2% of the patients and below 5dB in 79.3% of the cases. The air conduction threshold improved an average of 25dB. The patients that had an affected bone conduction threshold preoperatively improved bone conduction postoperatively at the frequencies of 1000 and 2000Hz (6 and 12dB, respectively). Consequently, the Carhart notch disappeared on the audiogram. These results were maintained at one year of follow up. ConclusionsWe found a significant improvement in the bone conduction threshold at the frequencies of 1000 and 2000Hz and a disappearance of the Carhart notch in the audiogram after stapedectomy and total footplate removal in patients diagnosed with otosclerosis having mixed hearing loss. ER -