Stapedius tendon reconstruction during stapedotomy: technique and results.

During surgery for otosclerosis, it is common for the surgeon to cut the stapedius tendon. Even without reconstruction of the tendon, the results of this kind of surgery are particularly satisfactory. The stapedial reflex is more important for improving intelligibility of speech in the presence of background noise than for protection against hazardous levels of noise. An intact stapedial reflex improves ones ability to follow speech in the presence of background noise. This report will present a technique to reconstruct the stapedius tendon, along with the results obtained when adding this procedure to stapedotomy surgery.

[Sound injuries after surgery of otosclerosis]. / Traumatismes sonores après chirurgie de l'otospongiose.

Surgery for otosclerosis means that the sound protection due to the fixation of the footplate does not exist anymore. As the Corti hair cells have been fragilized by proteolytic enzymes, it is absolutely necessary to reconstruct the sound mechanism in order to maintain the vibration of the perilymph absolutely within acoustical physiologic limit of movement. The means to realize this reconstruction are presented in this paper, as well as the results.

[The development of tinnitus in the postoperative period of otospongiosis]. / Devenir des acouphènes en postopératoire de l'otospongiose.

Correlation between tinnitus and audiometric loss, modification of tinnitus by medical or surgical treatment, allow to suspect the origin of tinnitus due to otospongiosis and to give the patient a practically always confirmed prognosis. Audiometric localization of tinnitus is essential, as it is the best clue to etiology, treatment and prognosis of otospongiosis tinnitus. As far as irreducible tinnitus are concerned, as anxiety is the most pejorative parameter, not discouraging the patient is very important.

[Improvement in hearing as a function of type of platinectomy or platinotomy performed in the surgical treatment of otospongiosis]. / Amélioration de l'audition en fonction du type de platinectomie ou de platinotomie effectué dans la chirurgie de l'otospongiose.

The footplate fenestra should be performed in its posterior third part to avoid pressure of the piston on the membranous labyrinth, situated very close to the footplate in 2% of the cases in otosclerotic patients. Gain in bone conduction differs according to the size of the fenestra performed. Low frequencies improve most when the whole posterior third part of the footplate is removed; the audiometric gain is better for high frequencies when a 0.8 mm stapedotomy is performed. These findings demonstrate the interest of a more or less enlarged fenestra according to the language spoken by the patient, since the different languages use mainly high or low frequency phonemes.

[Prognosis for tinnitus after surgery for otospongiosis]. / Devenir des acouphènes en postopératoire de l'otospongiose.

Correlation between tinnitus and audiometric loss and modification of the former by both surgical and medical treatment provide sufficient data to suggest its origin and to give the patient a prognosis confirmed in practically every case. Audiometric localization of the tinnitus is essential, since this allows establishment of the etiology, treatment and prognosis of the symptom. When tinnitus is irreversible, the hope of a possible recovery must be given to the patient to avoid the inevitable anxiety produced.

[Result and treatment of tinnitus in our clinic]. / Bilan et traitement des acouphènes dans notre clinique.

The authors propose a test consisting in performing injections of Renovaine, a very strong anaesthetic drug, in the external ear duct in order to reduce momentarily severe and decompensated tinnitus. They discuss the usefulness of this test and develop two concepts to explain its action. They make a pragmatic approach of the tinnitus etiopathogeny.

[Means of fixing a transmission device to the center of a mobile footplate]. / Moyen de fixation d'une transmission au centre d'une platine mobile.

The authors present a new fixation device for any bony or prosthetic transmission system to the center of a mobile footplate in the absence of the stapes crura. It is a disc-shaped silicone sponge, with a central hole, fitting the bottom of the oval fossa and thus securing the maintenance of the bony or prosthetic transmission in the center of the mobile footplate, and reducing the risk of shifting of the transmission system, which is always possible in case of tympanic retraction. The silicone sponge allows as well a more physiological transmission, because the footplate will vibrate from top to bottom thanks to a central force vector, thus giving better audiometric results. The biocompatibility of the silicone sponge eradicates any phenomenon of intolerance from the tissues.