A Case of Cochlear Implantation in Otosclerosis Histologically Diagnosed / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Otosclerosis is a localized disorder of bone metabolism involving the endochondral bone of the otic and labyrinthine capsule. Both "advanced" and "very advanced" otosclerosis refer to the state of otosclerotic involvement of the otic capsule, which has progressed to result in profound deafness with undetectable bone and air conduction thresholds. Shea et al. estimated that 1.6% of patients with otosclerosis had developed profound hearing losses, and that hearing improvements after stapes surgeries in these patients were lower than the case of "not-advanced" otosclerosis. Stapedectomy and hearing aid amplification could be tried, but cochlear implantation is an established intervention for patients with profound sensorineural hearing loss due to otosclerosis. Although the reported results of cochlear implantations in otosclerosis patients are not significantly different from those of other cochlear implantees not affected by otosclerosis, in former conditions, potential ossification of cochlea, facial nerve stimulation, and instability of the results might take place. We report a case of otosclerosis histologically diagnosed for the first time here in Korea, and for which cochlear implantation was successfully performed.