Surgical treatment of otosclerosis in elderly patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze hearing results of stapes surgery in otosclerotic patients older than 65 years.

Study Design: Among 473 primary stapedectomies, 16 were performed in patients over 65 years old and were retrospectively reviewed. Hearing results were compared with those of a randomly selected group of 16 patients younger than 65 years old.

Results: Improvement in hearing (closure of the air-bone gap to <20 dB) was achieved in all of the cases, and closure of the air-bone gap to less than 10 dB occurred in 87.5% at 1 month and in 81.8% at the last evaluation (mean follow-up, 19.5 months). Hearing results were similar in elderly and younger patients.

Conclusion And Significance: Stapes surgery is an effective procedure in elderly patients with otosclerosis to avoid hearing aid use or to facilitate hearing aid fitting.