We report a rare case where Q-tip induced mixed hearing loss without perilymph fistula and demonstrate the need for computed tomography imaging with three-dimensional reconstruction where fracture and dislocation of the stapes are suspected. A 28-year-old male experienced an accidental penetrating injury by a Q-tip in the right ear 6 years previously. Temporal bone computed tomography revealed ...

The Vibrant Soundbridge (VSB) with stapes clip coupler placement at the stapes head has been used successfully to treat mixed hearing loss. Coupling between the floating mass transducer of the VSB and the stapes head is technically less demanding than incus vibroplasty and is more likely to generate a positive outcome without significantly changing residual hearing or resulting in medical or su...

In the surgical treatment of otosclerosis, the coupling between the stapes prosthesis and the long process of the incus is critical. After surgery, connective tissue and mucosa may grow over the coupling area and thereby influence the sound transmission properties of the incus-prosthesis interface. It was the hypothesis of this study that tissue ongrowth in the incus-prosthesis interface has li...

The annular ligament provides a compliant connection of the stapes to the oval window. To estimate the stiffness characteristics of the annular ligament, human temporal bone measurements were conducted. A force was applied sequentially at several points on the stapes footplate leading to different patterns of displacement with different amounts of translational and rotational components. The sp...

AIM Analysis of indications for stapes revision surgery in patients qualified for the secondary procedure at the Otosurgery Dept. Medical University of Lodz. MATERIAL AND METHODS 25 cases of stapes revision surgery out of the 385 total treated surgically otosclerosis cases are discussed. RESULTS In group A (patients after total stapedectomy) the following indications for the secondary surgi...

In the UK, stapes surgery is performed almost universally under general anaesthesia. In 1984 there was consensus that local anaesthesia should be the technique of choice in stapes surgery. Despite reports of successful use of local anaesthesia for middle ear surgery, this is still not widely accepted practice in the UK. We describe the senior author's technique for local anaesthetic stapes sur...

The aim of this study was to investigate the possibility that an abnormality related to parathyroid hormone (PTH) action is involved in the increased bone turnover observed in otosclerosis. To do so, expression and function of the PTH-PTH-related peptide (PTHrP) receptor were studied in the involved tissue (stapes) and compared with that in control bone sample obtained from the external auditor...

OBJECTIVE Comparing the endoscopic and microscopic approaches in stapes surgery, and establishing the surgical approach that allows better results in terms of visualization of the middle ear structures and aids assistant's training. MATERIALS AND METHODS Twenty-one residents from the first to the fifth year of training in Otolaryngology were enrolled in this prospective study. A questionnaire...

Objective. To visually compare the Nitinol "smart" stapes prosthesis to conventional manual crimping stapes pistons in temporal bone cadaver specimens. Main Outcome Measures. 10 otolaryngologists were given a photograph of the randomly ordered stapes pistons and asked to use the pictures to answer questions about each stapes piston. The answers to the survey were then recorded for analysis. Res...