Stapedotomy or Stapedectomy for Otosclerosis

A hearing aid is almost always helpful and no further treatment is needed. However, in many cases, surgery is also an option. In an operation called a stapedotomy, the surgeon bypasses the diseased bone with a prosthetic device that allows sound waves to be passed to the inner ear. For otosclerosis, there is about a 90-95 percent chance of improving the hearing in the ear. There is a 1 percent chance of losing all hearing in the ear. There is a 5-10 percent chance of no change in the hearing.

The outpatient surgery usually can be performed under local or general anesthesia and is typically done in the operating room of a hospital. Hearing is usually regained quickly.