Round Window Drill-Out in Advanced Otosclerosis

To discuss the effect of round window drill-out for otosclerosis cases with radiographic evidence of round window obliteration. PATIENTS: Four adult patients (5 ears) were included with audiometric findings of a mixed hearing loss and radiographic evidence of otosclerosis causing round window obliteration.

Round window drill-out may be a viable surgical option when the round window is obliterated in advanced otosclerosis, but with only 5 ears reported this is too preliminary to change surgical practice; surgeons should treat these findings as hypothesis-generating only.

Round window obliteration in otosclerosis is a rare but challenging surgical scenario, and documented approaches for managing it are scarce; this case series adds incremental evidence to guide surgical decision-making.

1. 01Case series of 4 adults (5 ears) with advanced otosclerosis and radiographic round window obliteration.
2. 02Round window drill-out was performed as the primary surgical approach.
3. 03Evidence level is low (case series, n=5); no control group or comparator.
4. 04Published in Otology & Neurotology (DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000004989).
5. 05Findings are preliminary and should not alter established surgical protocols without corroborating evidence.

PMID

42318892

DOI

10.1097/MAO.0000000000004989.

Journal

Otology & Neurotology

Publication type

case_report

Evidence level

4

Sample size

4

Population

Adults with advanced otosclerosis and radiographic evidence of round window obliteration

Intervention

Round window drill-out surgery