To evaluate tinnitus and audiological outcomes following stapes surgery in otosclerosis patients with preoperative tinnitus.
✦ The floor
Discussion
Signed responses from readers of the wire.
This meta-analysis provides the best current evidence that stapes surgery reduces tinnitus in a substantial proportion of otosclerosis patients with pre-operative tinnitus; audiologists and surgeons can use these pooled estimates to counsel patients on realistic tinnitus outcomes.
Tinnitus is a major quality-of-life concern for otosclerosis patients, and quantified pooled data on surgical tinnitus outcomes fill a genuine evidence gap that directly supports shared decision-making.
- 01Systematic review and meta-analysis — the highest-level study design for summarising surgical outcomes.
- 02Population is otosclerosis patients with pre-operative tinnitus undergoing stapes surgery (stapedectomy/stapedotomy).
- 03Reports tinnitus resolution, improvement, no change, and worsening rates post-surgery.
- 04Also evaluates audiological outcomes (hearing gain) alongside tinnitus.
- 05Provides pooled estimates suitable for pre-operative patient counselling.
Stapes surgery leads to tinnitus improvement or resolution in a significant proportion of otosclerosis patients with pre-operative tinnitus.
studysupportedStapes surgery improves audiological outcomes in otosclerosis patients.
studysupported- PMID
- 42822231
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.amjoto.2026.104957.
- Journal
- American Journal of Otolaryngology
- Publication type
- meta_analysis
- Evidence level
- 1a
- Population
- Otosclerosis patients with pre-operative tinnitus undergoing stapes surgery
- Intervention
- Stapes surgery (stapedectomy or stapedotomy)
- Comparator
- Pre-operative baseline (within-patient comparison across included studies)
Primary outcomes
Tinnitus resolution or improvement rate post-surgery; Audiological outcomes (hearing threshold improvement)