Question
What is the long term prognosis of otosclerosis with and without a stapedectomy or stapedoctomy? What I mean is: does the disease progress to the inner ear even if the patient undergoes one of these procedures, resulting in sensorineural hearing loss anyway, or does the operation stop progression of the disease?Answer
The disease can involve the inner ear regardless of surgery. What surgery does is improve the hearing such that a hearing aid may not be necessary at all. Or, if a hearing aid is later needed, the surgery may delay the patient needing the hearing aid by 10-20 years or more. Surgery may improve tinnitus as well.
Sam J. Marzo, MD is a Professor of Otology, Neurotology, and Skull Base Surgery at Loyola University Health System in Chicago, Illinois. His practice is limited to the medical and surgical treatment of the ear and related structures.