Various surgical findings in patients undergoing surgery for otosclerosis

Introduction: Otosclerosis is a frequent affection of the ossicular chain, however other conditions of the ossicular chain are also responsible for conductive hearing losses. Objective: To evaluate which ossicular chain alterations were found in middle ear surgery for conductive hearing losses. Method: Retrospective analysis of all stapedotomies, stapedectomies and exploratory timpanotomies done between 2007 and 2015. Results: Of the 81 procedures carried out, 12 (14.81%) showed to be a different condition from that of otosclerosis in the intraoperative period: fusion, rigidity or absence of the ossicular chain, stapes or oval window agenesis, dehiscence of the superior semicircular canal, agenesis or erosion of the incus and dislocation of the incudo stapedial joint. Conclusion: The otologic surgeon must be aware of the various conductive hearing loss ethiologies in order to avoid misdiagnosis and unnecessary interventions. However, it is important to note that in some cases there are no accurate ways to stablish precise diagnosis previously to a surgical exploration.