Stapedotomy & Stapedotomy (Otosclerosis)

Otosclerosis is an ear disease where the stapes of the ear does not have the ability to move in a free way in the oval window, as it normally should, so the normal transmission of the sound is being interrupted having as a consequense loss of hearing. It is an inherital disease (one of the parents usually suffers from the problem), it is more common among women, at the age of 30-40 and deteriorates during the pregnancies. It is a very demanding operation and can only be performed by specially trained surgeons

The operation

Stapedotomy & Stapedectomy is the removal of the infected bone (stapes) and replacement with a special prosthetis of teflon or titan. The incision is made in the external ear canal and is not visible.

Stages

1. We make a incision in external ear canal
2. We lift the drum
3. We identify the infected bone (stapes) and separate it from the rest acoustic chain
4. We remove the stapes and replace them with a prosthetis of teflon or titan
5. We restore the acoustic chain
6. We bring the ear drum back to its normal position and then we make a slight packing of the external ear canal

Anesthesia

General

Duration of surgery

1-2 hours

Stay in the clinic

2 days

Result

Huge improvement of hearing ability, immediately perceived, getting better after the removal of packing (1 week after the surgery) and even better after 3 months time

Combination with other operations

No, there cannot be any other operation the same day

Instructions after surgery

• Mobilization of the patient is made the same night after the surgery or the morning after
• The patient remains in a half-seated position for 2-3 days with the operated ear “looking” upwards
• The ear remains with a slight packing for a week
• The removal of the packing is made by the surgeon
• Ear drops are being used for about a month after the packing removal
• No painkillers required
• Antibiotics are given preventively only until the packing removal
• No sutures removal is being done because they get absorbed⁄rejected
• In case of a vertigo or dizziness after surgery medication is being prescripted for about 2 days
• We avoid sneezing, valsava manoeuvres (equilibration of the pressure), airplanes, high mountains and generally everything that is connected to major pressure differentiations of the mid-ear or the environment