Association between cupular deposits and otosclerosis.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate whether otosclerosis is an underlying mechanism for the production of cupular deposits and to study the association between cupular deposits and dysequilibrium in otosclerosis. DESIGN Retrospective human temporal bone (TB) study. The incidence of cupular deposits in these 70 TBs was analyzed. Correlations between cupular deposits and vestibular symptoms, endosteal involvement of the otosclerotic focus, stapedial fixation, and clinical history of stapes surgery were evaluated. SETTING Otolaryngology laboratory in a tertiary academic medical center. PATIENTS The study material consisted of 35 human TBs with otosclerosis and 35 age-matched controls. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Morphometric evaluations of the incidence of cupular deposits, endosteal involvement of the otosclerotic focus, and stapedial fixation were made by light microscopy. Clinical records were reviewed retrospectively for clinical history of stapes surgery and prevalence of vestibular symptoms. The incidence of cupular deposits was compared between the otosclerotic and control groups. Correlations between cupular deposits and vestibular symptoms, endosteal involvement of the otosclerotic focus, stapedial fixation, and clinical history of stapes surgery were evaluated in the subjects with otosclerosis. RESULTS The incidence of cupular deposits in TBs with otosclerosis was significantly higher than in those without whereas there was no correlation between the incidence of the deposits and dysequilibrium in cases of otosclerosis. An increase in deposits did not correlate with stapedial fixation, stapes surgery, or endosteal involvement. CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest otosclerosis as an underlying mechanism for the production of cupular deposits; however, we did not find an association between these deposits and vestibular symptoms.