Treatment For Otosclerosis

If the hearing loss is mild, the otolaryngologist may suggest continued observation and a hearing aid to amplify the sound reaching the ear drum. Sodium fluoride has been found to slow the progression of the disease and may also be prescribed. In most cases of otosclerosis, a surgical procedure called stapedectomy is the most effective method of restoring or improving hearing.

What Is A Stapedectomy?

A stapedectomy is an outpatient surgical procedure done under local or general anesthesia through the ear canal with an operating microscope. (No outer incisions are made.) It involves removing the immobilized stapes bone and replacing it with a prosthetic device. The prosthetic device allows the bones of the middle ear to resume movement, which stimulates fluid in the inner ear and improves or restores hearing.

Modern-day stapedectomies have been performed since 1956 with a success rate of 90 percent. In rare cases (about one percent of surgeries), the procedure may worsen hearing.

Otosclerosis affects both ears in eight out of ten patients. For these patients, ears are operated on one at a time; the worst hearing ear first.

What Should I Expect After A Stapedectomy?

Most patients return home the evening after surgery and are told to lie quietly on the un-operated ear. Oral antibiotics may be prescribed by the otolaryngologist. Some patients experience dizziness the first few days after surgery. Taste sensation may also be altered for several weeks or months following surgery, but usually returns to normal. 

Following surgery, patients may be asked to refrain from nose blowing, swimming, or other activities that may get water in the operated ear. Normal activities (including air travel) are usually resumed two weeks after surgery. 

Notify your otolaryngologist immediately if any of the following occurs:

• Sudden hearing loss
• Intense pain
• Prolonged or intense dizziness
• Any new symptom related to the operated ear

Since packing is placed in the ear at the time of surgery, hearing improvement will not be noticed until it is removed about a week after surgery.  The ear drum will heal quickly, generally reaching the maximum level of improvement within two weeks.