■ INTRODUCTION: The surgery of the stirrup, with their two main variants (stapedotomy and stapedectomy), nowadays constitutes the treatment of election of the otosclerosis. Without a doubt, the short term results of this surgery are spectacular, but many of the series reflect a gradual auditory deterioration in these patients throughout the years. The objective of this study is to value if auditory deterioration (8-10 years) in the taken part patients of stapedotomy in our center exists in the long term.

■ METHODS: A retrospective study of the taken part patients of stapedotomy is realized in our center in period 1995-1997. The results were valued by means of an early pitch audiometry (1-3 months) and soon it became to realize a new audiometric test by means of delayed pitch audiometry (7 to 10 years). The study with a bibliographical revision of the otosclerosis surgery is complemented, commenting the results or observations that of them are derived.

■ RESULTS: A high percentage of the studied patients presents/displays significant an auditory deterioration throughout the years after the stapedotomy although hearing significantly better stays than the presurgical one.Discussion: The comparison is not possible from the many studies reviewed on long term results of the stapedotomies due to the great diversity of the used systems of valuation. Post-stapedotomy throughout the years with the auditory reduction of the normal population would be interesting to compare the happened reduction consequence of presbycusis. According to different authors, the used surgical technique influences in the short and mid term in the auditory results. In some series the age like a factor is considered conditioner when comparing the long term results by age groups.

■ CONCLUSIONS: In spite of the significant reduction of the reached auditory level after the stapedotomy throughout the years, we considered that the surgery of the otosclerosis is an effective treatment in the long term.