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THE EFFECT OF STAPEDIAL SURGERY IN THE BONE CONDUCTION

Francisco Antoli-Candela, Alejandro Harguindey

Instituto ORL Antoli Candela, Madrid, Spain

■ OBJECTIVES: Evaluate the changes on bone conduction induced by surgery in patients with stapes fixation. ■ METHODS: The bone conduction (BC) was studied in 380 patients before and after undergoing stapes surgery. In 200 patients the footplate was opened mechanically and in 180 with the aid of an Erbium YAG laser. The evaluation of BC includes a preoperative one week, one month and one year bone conduction audiogram. ■ RESULTS: The results are presented in x/y and frequency histograms.

■ CONCLUSIONS: Changes in the average bone conduction are progressive (with gains occurring even later that a month after being postoperative). There is no evidence of inner ear trauma when Erbium YAG laser is used to open the vestibule. In the 83,7% of the cases there is an improvement in the average BC, an 86,5% improvement with laser and an 81,5% improvement without it.