How do you know if you need a stapedectomy?? - Hearing Disorders Message Board

Donna52 · 08-10-2008, 06:56 PM

How exactly can an ENT tell if you need this surgery??

I have severe to profound hearing loss in both ears. Have always had some degree of hearing loss, but it has gotten much worse in the past 10 years to where I can hear nothing without hearing aids (I am now 53). The aids themselves don't help much either....they amplify anything and everything. The best I can explain how everyone's voices sounds is "electronic" (or Mickey Mouse voices). I have sensorineural hearing loss in both ears....could never hear the high frequency noises when I was small. I didn't have much of a problem hearing in a group setting while growing up, either. Now, I may as well even forget it!! I do good if I can hear just one person in a quiet environment.

I've been to ENT specialists and none have ever mentioned a stapedectomy. They say I may benefit from a cochlear implant.

What do these doctors look for in the examination that tells them a stapedectomy may help restore your hearing? Thank you.

TXMommy27 · 09-24-2008, 09:26 PM

I don't know if you'll read this, since it's been so long since you posted...

the best I understand it is, when there is a significant gap between sensorineural and conductive hearing, usually involving a rapid decline in conductive hearing, the ENT or audiologist (both, in my case) may suspect otosclerosis being the cause. I don't know if they recommend this if your sensorineural hearing is already low. The ENT and my surgeon both did tuning fork tests along with regular hearing tests, and this seemed enough to convince them. My sensorineural hearing was much higher than my conductive hearing. Now they are pretty equal, at least in my operated ear. I think they said the surgery could bring my conductive hearing as high as my sensorineural hearing, but not higher - I could be wrong. But that might be why they suggested cochlear implants - that would help the SN hearing, I think.

This is what i understand from my experience and discussions with the doctors. I have tried reading up on it, but info is either too technical or seems outdated. Hope this helps