The Impact of Otosclerosis Surgery on Tinnitus

Background: Tinnitus is the perception of sound within the ear without external sound. It's common in patients with otosclerosis and can compromise surgical results. Stapedectomy or stapedotomy can relieve tinnitus, with the latter being preferred due to fewer complications. In a retrospective study, we aim to gather tinnitus data using a validated instrument over time. Aim: This study aimed to gather data on tinnitus by using a validated tinnitus severity instrument over a while after Stapedectomy or stapedotomy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective study on patients with otosclerosis who underwent stapedectomy or stapedotomy and suffered from tinnitus. Diagnosis was done through physical examination and pure tone audiometry. The surgical procedure involved a partial stapedectomy, stapedotomy, and Teflon piston prosthesis insertion under general anesthesia. We used the tinnitus handicap inventory to evaluate tinnitus severity before and after surgery. We analyzed the data using SPSS version 22 and found statistically significant improvements in tinnitus severity post-surgery. Results: In this study, 30 patients were included, with a mean age of 35 ±10.62. Each question showed a significant difference pre- and post-operatively. A paired t-test was conducted to assess the effect of stapedotomy on each subcategory of THI, which found a significant difference in tinnitus severity for each subscale. The total THI score was also significantly different (p-value=0.000). Conclusion: Stapedectomy or stapedotomy in otosclerotic patients who suffer from tinnitus significantly decreases tinnitus severity.