Hearing Loss and Understanding Stapedectomy Surgery

The mechanism known as your ear is basically divided into three sections the outer ear, which includes the part of the ear that people can see and the canal leading down to the eardrum. The next section is known as the middle ear and contains a chain of three small bones, with the final section being the inner ear. The inner ear is where the nerve center of your hearing is located. The middle ear bones are named after objects they look like. the bone closest to the eardrum is the Malleus or hammer, then there is the Incus or anvil bone and the last bone is known as the stapes or stirrup bone. The stapes bone is connected to a membrane that covers an oval looking window. The window is basically the entrance to the inner ear.

Sound waves make the eardrum vibrate and then the vibrations are carried through the three bones, which is then called the ossicular chain. If however the vibrations are not being transferred to the inner ear correctly the result is a conductive hearing loss.

A spongy bone like growth is called otosclerosis and can also cause a loss of hearing. The bony substance may stop growing at any time but the damage usually remains constant from there on. If otosclerosis has developed in both ears, an operation my be able to correct some of the problem.

People suffering from otosclerosis may also develop tinnitus or head noise. The tinnitus condition may be perceived as a constant ringing, roaring, rushing or hissing sound. Tinnitus masking may offer some relief from this condition.

A stapedectomy is an operation that removes the stapes bone. The surgeon folds forward the eardrum to reveal the ossicular chain and the stapes is removed in one piece or in several pieces. Once the stapes is removed a replacement is installed and the replacement then begins transmitting sound vibrations to the inner ear.

One type of artificial stapes is a minute length of wire that is looped at one end, attached to the other end can be a piece of body tissue or some other kind of compatible device. The loop is usually placed on the Incus bone and the body tissue or other substance is placed so it covers the oval window. The surgeon than replaces the eardrum back in its original condition. Hearing at this point may be improved with the placement of the artificial stapes. However some people seem to be worse right after surgery, especially since the patient's eardrum has to heal, the ear canal maybe somewhat swollen and the middle ear may experience some build up of fluid but should be eventually absorbed by the body.

Some side effects a person who has had a stapedectomy may experience are dizziness or a metallic taste in their mouth but both side effects are usually just temporary.

Nose blowing should be avoided when recovering from a stapedectomy along with strict water precautions. Normal activities however usually can be resumed after approximately two weeks. A person who has recently had a stapedectomy should also for a period of time avoid any airplane flights or changes in altitude, heavy lifting and driving due to possible dizziness.

References for this article include:
www.earsurgery.org/site/pages/surgery/stapedectomy.php
www.houstonoto.com/Otosclerosis.html
www.marshfieldclinic.org/patients/