Right versus left stapes surgery: is there a difference?

OBJECTIVES

To search for a statistically significant difference in auditory results between right and left ears after surgery for otosclerosis.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective case-review study.

SETTING

Academic tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS

Eight hundred ninety-four cases of stapes surgery were reviewed. Patients were divided into 2 groups: right ear (474 cases) and left ear (420 cases). There were 4 classes in each group depending on the preoperative air-bone gap (ABG). Each class was divided into 3 subclasses depending on the preoperative bone conduction (BC).

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Two parameters were analyzed: ABG and BC. The parameters compared between right and left ears were 1) the difference between mean preoperative and 4-month postoperative ABG (DeltaABG) and 2) the difference between mean preoperative and 4-month postoperative BC (DeltaBC). We used the analysis of variance statistical test. Furthermore, we calculated the number of patients who have had postoperative sensorineural hearing loss at 4 months defined as a fall in BC of more than 10 dB and compared the results between right and left ears using chi test.

RESULTS

There was no statistically significant difference in the DeltaABG and the DeltaBC between the right and left ear (p = 0.742 and 0.426, respectively) taking into consideration all classes and subclasses. We found 19 cases of postoperative sensorineural hearing loss, among which are 10 right ears and 9 left ears. The difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.973).

CONCLUSION

There is no functional difference between stapes surgery performed in the right ear as compared with that performed in the left ear.