Otosclerosis and stapedoplasty in older adults

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy of stapedoplasty in patients aged 60 and older, based on audiometric data and a questionnaire about quality of life. DESIGN: A retrospective (1994-2000) study. SETTING: People living in southern and central Italy. PARTICIPANTS: Sixty-three patients: 32 consecutive patients aged 60 and older (group 1) and 31 consecutive patients younger than 60 (group 2). MEASUREMENTS: In each patient, we evaluated the pre- and postoperative auditory thresholds. Each patient answered a questionnaire about postoperative quality of life. RESULTS: When comparing the pre- and postoperative air conduction thresholds and air-bone gap in the patients aged 60 and older, a statistically significant (P < .001) improvement at each frequency was observed. When elaborating the answers to the questionnaire about postoperative quality of life, we noticed that the older patients experienced a greater improvement. CONCLUSION: The results show that stapedoplasty offers greater improvement in quality of life for selected adults aged 60 and older than for younger adults. The operation also appears to be as safe for adults aged 60 and older as for younger adults. Stapedoplasty provides subjects with satisfactory social hearing level (hearing capacity sufficient for normal social relations) and slows the progression of otosclerosis. Providing older patients with good auditory functionality improves their state of health, quality of life, and cognitive processes.