Advanced Stapes Surgery in Janakpuri, Delhi
STAPES is a medical procedure performed in case of osteosclerosis. Osteosclerosis is a condition caused due to damaged stapes. Stapes is a small “U-shaped” bone situated in the middle ear that transmits sound waves from the middle ear to the inner ear. During the stapes surgery, the stape bone is replaced with an artificial device.
What is Stapes Surgery?
Stapes surgery, also known as Stapedectomy, replaces the damaged stapes bone of the middle ear with an artificial device that aids in hearing.
The stapes bone is one of the three tiny bones present in the middle ear. The stapes bone, also called the stirrup, is a “U-shaped bone”, which plays a vital role in transmitting the sound waves to the inner ear while vibrating. A damaged stirrup leads to hearing impairment, and in such cases, a stapes replacement surgery is a must.
The stapes surgery also helps treat Osteosclerosis – a condition characterised by abnormal growths around the stapes bone.
Why is Stapedectomy performed?
Your ENT specialist may suggest a stapes surgery if you have a loss of hearing caused due to Osteosclerosis . As mentioned earlier, Osteosclerosis causes abnormal growths around the stapes bone. These growths cause fusion of stapes to the surrounding bone tissues causing immobility and no vibrations.
People with Osteosclerosis often have hearing issues and cannot hear people whispering or even low-pitch sounds. Some people with Osteosclerosis speak slowly or quietly because they feel their voice is loud. They also have vertigo, tinnitus (ringing or buzzing in the ear), balance problems, or dizziness.
What are the Prerequisites of a Stapedectomy?
Before Stapes surgery, the doctor will assess your condition by understanding your medical history. Generally, after a thorough physical examination of the ear canals and audiometry check to rule out ear infections, the doctor will conduct a hearing loss test. The hearing loss testing involves a tuning fork test and tympanometry- a test performed with a handheld device called tympanometer.
To have a look at the bones and tissue condition of the middle ear, the doctor will also conduct a computed tomography (CT) scan. It is only after a thorough investigation that the Stapes surgery is performed.
What can you Expect during Stapes Surgery?
Stapes surgery is a general outpatient procedure done under local or general anaesthesia. The ENT surgeon will go through the following steps during Stapes surgery:
- • A micro instrument or laser is used to make a small incision behind or in front of the ear to access the eardrums.
- • The eardrums are lifted to replace the damaged stapes with an artificial device.
- • After stapes replacement, the eardrum is put back in place, and the incision is sutured and dressed to allow healing.
During the surgery, you are less likely to have pain or discomfort. However, for post-surgery pain, the doctor will prescribe over-the-counter pain relievers.
