Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the quality of life in patients with unilateral otosclerosis treated surgically with stapedotomy. Both objective indicators (hearing thresholds and air-bone gap) and subjective patient assessment of quality of life were considered. METHODS: We included 84 patients with unilateral otosclerosis who underwent stapes surgery. There were 24 men and 60 women, aged between 22 and 73 (mean = 44.1 ± 10.5) years. Pure tone audiometry (frequency range: 0.125-8 kHz) was performed preoperatively and 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Quality of life was assessed with the Assessment of Quality of Life - 8 Dimensions (AQoL-8D) questionnaire. RESULTS: The preoperative air-conduction hearing thresholds were on average 56.6 dB HL and improved significantly to 31.3 dB HL 6 months after stapes surgery. Air-bone gap before surgery was on average 29.8 dB HL and improved significantly to 9.9 dB 6 months after stapes surgery. Hearing thresholds were stable for 12 months after stapes surgery. Overall quality of life significantly increased after surgery, with improvements occurring in several domains: independent living , senses , mental health , coping , and relationships . CONCLUSION: Stapedotomy is an effective treatment for patients with unilateral otosclerosis. As well as improving hearing thresholds, it significantly enhances overall quality of life.