Abstract
BackgroundThe aim of this study was to evaluate whether surgeons´ experience and perioperative single-shot antibiotic prophylaxis affect outcome of patients undergoing stapes surgery.Patients and methodsWe retrospectively evaluated audiological outcomes and postoperative complications of 538 consecutive patients who underwent stapes surgery at a single tertiary referral center between 1990 and 2017. Effects of different clinical variables, including single-shot antibiotic prophylaxis and surgeons’ experience on outcome were assessed.Results538 patients underwent 667 stapedotomies and postoperative complication rate was 7.5% (n = 50). Air conduction and air-bone gap closure improved significantly after surgery (14.2 ± 14.8 dB, p = 0.001; 14.5 ± 12.8 dB, p = 0.001). Multivariate analysis revealed that 6 years or less of surgical experience was independently associated with a higher incidence of persisting or recurrent conductive hearing loss (p = 0.033, OR 5.13) but perioperative application of antibiotics had no significant effect on outcome.ConclusionFirst, clinical outcome regarding persisting or recurrent conductive hearing loss caused by incus necrosis and prosthesis luxation is linked to surgical performance. This underlines the need for a meticulous training and supervision of less experienced surgeons performing stapes surgery. Second, our results do not support the need for perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis in stapes surgery. Potential standard limitations of retrospective cohort studies (selection bias, confusion bias etc.) could play a role in interpreting our results. However, the probability for these limitations is minimized due to the large patient sample.
Highlights
Besides conductive hearing loss, many patients with otosclerosis develop in particular a sensorineural hearing loss without association to age-related hearing loss [1]
Multivariate analysis revealed that 6 years or less of surgical experience was independently associated with a higher incidence of persisting or recurrent conductive hearing loss (p = 0.033, OR 5.13) but perioperative application of antibiotics had no significant effect on outcome
Clinical outcome regarding persisting or recurrent conductive hearing loss caused by incus necrosis and prosthesis luxation is linked to surgical performance
Summary
Many patients with otosclerosis develop in particular a sensorineural hearing loss without association to age-related hearing loss [1]. Therapy options include hearing aids and stapes surgery [2]. There is a risk of permanent postoperative complete sensorineural hearing loss in approximately 1% of patients [4]. Further complications include postoperative vertigo, tinnitus, infections and luxation of the prosthesis [5]. Audiological outcomes of stapes surgery are usually assessed by improvement in air conduction (AC), in pure field pure-tone audiometry (PTA) and the air-bone gap (ABG) closure [6, 7]. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether surgeonsexperience and perioperative single-shot antibiotic prophylaxis affect outcome of patients undergoing stapes surgery
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