Tinnitus and otosclerosis

Abstract

Fifty patients with otosclerosis and tinnitus were studied for the course of the tinnitus after stapes surgery. Tinnitus disappeared in 64% of the cases, improved in 16%, was unchanged in 14%, and worsened in 6%. The reduction in tinnitus was more favorable after a small fenestra stapedotomy than after a partial stapedectomy with removal of the posterior half of the footplate. An unfavorable postoperative course of tinnitus did not appear to be linked to the postoperative audiometric result. In our study the subjective evaluation of pitch and loudness of the tinnitus did not provide significant information regarding its prognosis.

Tinnitus Modulation by Stapedectomy

“…Sakai et al (8) sent a tinnitus questionnaire to 22 Japanese patients who had undergone stapedectomy or stapedotomy and noted that tinnitus improved in 68% of patients, remained unchanged in 27% of patients, and worsened in 5% of patients. Gersdorff et al (9) reported on 50 patients with tinnitus, and based on a descriptive evaluation after surgery, tinnitus resolved in 64% of patients, improved in 16% of patients, remained unchanged in 14% of patients, and worsened in 6% of patients. Szymacski et al (10) reported on 149 patients who had tinnitus associated with otosclerosis and who were questioned about their tinnitus 1 to 19 years after surgery.…”

Tinnitus

“…Of 18 tinnitus patients undergoing microvascular decompression of the eighth nerve, tinnitus subsided in eight patients and decreased in nine [33]. Tinnitus associated with otosclerosis subsided following successful stapedectomy in 64% of patients and improved in 16% of patients [34].…”

Surgical treatment of tinnitus

“…Improvement of non-pulsatile tinnitus in successful stapedectomy can be expected in about 40-64% of patients (26,27).…”