Factors Associated With Hearing Outcomes After Stapedotomy in Taiwanese Patients With Clinical Otosclerosis

Objective: To examine the clinical factors associated with the effectiveness of stapedotomy in improving hearing sensitivity in Taiwanese patients with otosclerosis. Methods: In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical records of 31 patients (36 ears) with otosclerosis undergoing stapedotomy performed by a single surgeon. Preoperative and postoperative hearing results were analyzed to identify factors associated with hearing outcomes after stapedotomy in the Taiwanese population with clinical otosclerosis. Results: Compared with preoperative pure tone averages (PTAs), stapedotomy significantly improved postoperative air conduction (AC) thresholds (P < .0001), bone conduction (BC) thresholds (P = .025), and air-bone gaps (ABGs; P < .0001). Postoperative closure of ABGs less than 10 or 20 dB was achieved in 16 (44.4%) and 33 (91.7%) of 36 surgical ears. Improvement in postoperative AC thresholds and ABGs and the size of preoperative ABGs were significantly correlated (r = .650, P < .001 and r = .745, P < .001, respectively). Gender-stratified analysis indicated a stronger correlation between improvement in postoperative AC thresholds and preoperative ABGs in male patients than in female patients (r = .893, P < .001 and r = .476, P = .014, respectively), and in postoperative and preoperative ABGs (r = .933, P < .001 and r = .626, P < .001, respectively). With the more stringent criteria for surgical success, factors including age (<= 50 years), type (conductive, BC <= 25 dB), and degree (PTA <= 55 dB) of preoperative hearing loss led to more favorable outcomes. Conclusions: We reported evidence supporting a potential gender difference on hearing outcomes after stapedotomy in Taiwanese patients with otosclerosis. Age, type, and degree of preoperative hearing loss may affect the surgical success rate.