What Is A Stapedotomy?
It is the surgery that is done to treat hearing loss or hearing impairement by removing a dysfunctional small piece of bone known as the stapes aka stirrup and replacing the bone with a small piston in the ear . This condition is known as Otosclerosis in which there is abnormal bone remodelling that causes the stapes bone to become unable to vibrate normally and inturn impairing hearing. This occurs because ,the stapes bone becomes abnormally fused to the surrounding structures and hindering its vibration.
What Causes Otosclerosis ?
The exact cause of Otosclerosis though it is unclear , multiple factors such as hereditary factors, pregnancy, chilhood measles infection, immune disorders , ethinicity play a role .
What Are The Symptoms ?
The symptoms include
> unable to hear low pitched sounds and or whispers
>tinnitus( ringing/ roaring / buzzing sensation in the ears)
>giddiness and balance problems
>howevr patient can hear better when there is lot of background noice (paracusis wilsii)
>a person whom you might have observed to have a very soft spoken voice but cannot hear when others speak softly
IS STAPEDOTOMY A PERMANENT CURE ?
Yes , the surgery provides permanent improvement in hearing. The surgery involves removing the abnormal , dysfunctional bone and replacing with a small prosthesis made up pf Teflon/Ninitol/Titanium (varies from pateint to patient and availability). This piston now acts in the place of the stirrup and vibrates permitting sound wave to the inner ear and restore hearing
WHAT ARE THE PRELIMINARY TESTS REQUIRED?
>Firstly the patient is assessed by an Otorhinolaryngologist (Ent) who does a thorough Ear /Nose /throat examination to diagnose if you have any acute or chronic ear infections by examing your eardrum .
>Every patient who has hearing impairement is adviced to take audiometry tests that may include Pure tone audiometry (PTA) , Impedance Audiometry to assess the preoperative hearing and to know how much improvement in hearing can be expected after surgery.
>Patients may also be required to take imaging tests such CT scan to diagnose otosclerosis
HOW IS THE SURGERY PERFORMED? IS IT PAINFUL?
The surgery is generally done under local anesthesia and the improvement in hearing can be appreciated immediately by the patient in the operating theatre .It is a day care procedure, patient is discharged on the same day . The surgery involves no to very minimal pain.
HOW IS THE RECOVERY LIKE ?
Patient may have mild giddiness or tinnitus for few hours to few days immediately following surgery . However with adequate rest and follow up care , patients can resume to work in a weeks time.
RISKS VS BENEFIT
Surgery is aimed at providing a permanent cure to hearing loss and improvement in hearing. Stapedotomy carries very minimal risks of patient feeling dizzy , tinnitus, slight reduction in taste sensation for a few days which subsides over time .
AT RICHARDSONS FACE HOSPITAL ..
At RICHARDSONS FACE HOSPITAL we have an expert team of ENT Surgeons , Audiologists who can provide you utmost care and diagnosis with precision . The surgery being performed completely endoscopic, provides a scarless surgery , quick recovery and permanent solution to improve your hearing .To know if you are the right candidate , kindly consult our expert team of doctors and you can say “yes”
to permanent effortless hearing and “no” to hearing aids.
