Objectives: To describe audiologic outcomes following hydroxyapatite bone cement fixation of stapedotomy prostheses.
Methods: A retrospective case review at a tertiary neurotology referral center was performed of patients undergoing primary or revision stapedotomy between 2010 and 2017. Patients with hydroxyapatite bone cement fixation of stapes prostheses were assessed. Pre- and postoperative hearing was compared, consisting of air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) pure-tone averages (PTA), air-bone gap (ABG), and word recognition scores (WRS). Short and long-term outcomes were assessed.
Results: Forty-six patients with otosclerosis underwent stapedotomy with bone cement fixation: 21 primary cases and 25 revision cases, with an average follow-up time of 17 months. Mean AC PTA was 56 dB preoperatively, and 34 dB postoperatively (P < .0001), while the ABG improved on average from 27 dB to 9 dB (P < .0001). There was no significant difference in postoperative ABG between primary and revision stapes surgery (6 dB vs 10 dB, P = .07). These results persisted through long-term follow-up in a subgroup of patients with significantly longer follow-up time (mean 44 months). There was no significant change in BC PTA or word recognition scores. Three patients underwent subsequent revisions, one patient developed sensorineural hearing loss.
Conclusion: Stapedotomy with bone cement fixation of the prosthesis provides excellent hearing outcomes in both primary and revision treatment of otosclerosis. Results are consistent and stable through long-term follow-up. The use of bone cement should be incorporated into the surgical armamentarium of the otologist for the prevention and treatment of loose-wire syndrome and incus necrosis.
Keywords: bone cement; hearing loss; hydroxyapatite; incus necrosis; loose wire syndrome; otosclerosis; stapedotomy; stapes surgery.