Living with Otosclerosis
in Health ·
Jack, I might be able to help you out, though most of my own research has just been digging through various medical sites online. Of course, your best bet is still consulting with an ENT specialist (I assume you’ve already done that?).
Essentially, stapedotomy and stapedectomy are just different approaches to the same procedure: removing the stapes—that tiny third bone in the chain between your eardrum and the cochlea—and replacing it with a prosthesis to handle the vibration transfer. In my experience, doctors described it as a routine procedure with a success rate around 95%, while complications are quite rare, occurring in maybe 1% of cases.
Regarding your results, a bilateral Type A tympanogram indicates that both Eustachian tubes are functioning normally. As for the "STAR," I believe that refers to the acoustic reflex in the middle ear; if that reflex is absent, it usually suggests the ossicles are fixed in place. My report mentioned CSR (cochlear-stapedial reflex), which I suspect is essentially the same thing.
I don't know much about exostoses, but I imagine that involves narrowing of the ear canal, which could also contribute to hearing loss. It seems likely they would address that issue before proceeding with a stapedotomy.
The surgery itself typically takes anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour under general anesthesia. Afterward, many patients deal with some level of vertigo because the equilibrium center in the ear gets disrupted. Depending on how intense those dizzy spells are, your hospital stay could range anywhere from a few days to about ten.
If there is anything else you want to dig into, feel free to ask.
Best of luck!
Essentially, stapedotomy and stapedectomy are just different approaches to the same procedure: removing the stapes—that tiny third bone in the chain between your eardrum and the cochlea—and replacing it with a prosthesis to handle the vibration transfer. In my experience, doctors described it as a routine procedure with a success rate around 95%, while complications are quite rare, occurring in maybe 1% of cases.
Regarding your results, a bilateral Type A tympanogram indicates that both Eustachian tubes are functioning normally. As for the "STAR," I believe that refers to the acoustic reflex in the middle ear; if that reflex is absent, it usually suggests the ossicles are fixed in place. My report mentioned CSR (cochlear-stapedial reflex), which I suspect is essentially the same thing.
I don't know much about exostoses, but I imagine that involves narrowing of the ear canal, which could also contribute to hearing loss. It seems likely they would address that issue before proceeding with a stapedotomy.
The surgery itself typically takes anywhere from thirty minutes to an hour under general anesthesia. Afterward, many patients deal with some level of vertigo because the equilibrium center in the ear gets disrupted. Depending on how intense those dizzy spells are, your hospital stay could range anywhere from a few days to about ten.
If there is anything else you want to dig into, feel free to ask.
Best of luck!