Otologic surgery in patients with one hearing ear only.

Abstract

AbstractOn occasions, the otologist is confronted with the possibility of performing surgery on the ear of a patient with useless or no hearing in the opposite ear. Because any surgical procedure on a patient's ear may result in further loss of hearing or even total deafness in the operated ear, an ill‐advised operative procedure in such a patient may result in a catastrophe. Up to 2 percent of patients undergoing surgery for otosclerosis develop further severe sensori‐neural hearing losses in the operated ear. Idiopathic sudden deafness in patients following stapedectomy can occur for causes unrelated to surgery. Further loss of hearing can also occur after simple myringoplasty and tympanoplasty. Such a possibility must be considered and to a great degree should influence the otologist's decision as to whether or not surgery is indicated, and if so, what is the surgical procedure of choice?A deaf patient can be compared to a blind patient only superficially, and not at all when it comes to any consideration of surgery upon the remaining organ of hearing and vision. Consider the patient with total blindness in one eye who cannot be helped with glasses. Should blindness of any degree affect the remaining eye, an operative procedure which can restore vision may be the only recourse. On the other hand, should the patient with only one hearing ear lose some hearing acuity in that ear, it may always be corrected or helped by the use of amplification. Therein lies the great difference. Total deafness cannot be helped by a hearing aid, and such a catastrophe cannot be risked when any other choice is available. This must be the guiding principle of all otologic surgeons in such instances.