Abstract
Objectives:
A cross-sectional observational study was designed to evaluate patient satisfaction after stapedotomy.
Methods:
Two validated questionnaires, the Psychosocial Impact of Assistive Devices Scale (PIADS) and the Hearing Handicap Inventory (HHI), were used to assess patients for whom audiometric data were available.
Results:
The response rate was 79%. The PIADS score showed that 96% of patients reported an improvement in quality of life. The HHI score, however, showed that 32% of patients still experienced a marked degree of handicap after surgery. The HHI scores correlated positively with postoperative audiometric data, and the PIADS scores correlated positively with the degree of change in audiometric data.
Conclusions:
The results of this study support the role of small fenestra stapedotomy as a primary treatment for otosclerosis. The study also identifies a certain subpopulation of patients with residual handicap who may require further aural rehabilitation.
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