Abstract
Objective: Identify predictive factors for successful stapedectomy in children under 17 years old.
Method: A retrospective chart review was performed from January 1, 1999 until January 1, 2011, to identify patients under 17 years old who underwent a stapedectomy. Age, gender, pre- and postoperative audiograms, intraoperative findings including cause of stapes fixation, type of prosthesis used, and complications were recorded.
Results: Eighteen children were identified who had undergone a stapedectomy. The cause of fixation included otosclerosis (n = 7), congenital footplate fixation (n = 9), and unknown cause (n = 2). The overall mean preoperative air-bone gap (ABG) was 35.7 dB (±10.4), compared with a postoperative mean ABG of 15.1 (±15.6) (P < 000.1). The mean postoperative ABG of 14.5 (±5.3) in the congenital footplate fixation group was lower than the mean postoperative ABG of 24.25 dB (±5.8) in children with otosclerosis, although this did not reach statistical significance (P = 0.236). One patient developed profound sensorineural hearing loss three weeks after surgery.
Conclusion: Pediatric stapedectomy has comparable results with stapedectomy in adults regardless of the cause of stapes fixation.
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