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Post (years later) stapedectomy complications

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I had stapedectomy done on my left ear, approximately 5 years ago. Everything was fine until few weeks ago. It’s difficult to describe, but I’ll try. When I hear loud (not very loud) noises/speech… it feels like a wire is getting disconnected, the same sound you would hear if a speaker had a loose wire. Something like trembling, disconnecting sound, with a high pitch. It happens on occasions, not always. The only way for me to stop this temporary is to bend my neck to the left, or blow my nose, while holding it closed. I have been to my doctor who has done the stapedectomy on this ear; he told me that this could be a loose prosthesis. Could it be anything else, like Eustachian tube? Anyone had similar experience? Thanks.

Yes, don’t blow your nose or listen to what anyone on this forum says except the following - see the absolute best stapes surgeon you can find and evaluate it, and if its a possibility for you discuss the likelihood of improvement with a revision surgery. I doubt anything will be done unless your hearing has dropped and there is air/bone gap . If your hearing hasn’t dropped yet it might. Hopefully you can get an improvement though.

My Aunt had a stapedectomy that lasted until she fell down a flight of stairs and undid her surgeons work 7 years after it was done. After the fall she said her ear sounded like a speaker with bad wiring but refused to have it fixed and lived another 30 years with her “bad wiring.” As iprickle said, : get the best surgeon you can find and have it evaluated and fixed if it needs to be. Good luck!

@slon said:

[SIZE=3] Anyone had similar experience? Thanks.

Yup, my primary stapedectomy failed the same way after 6 months. I was able even had a hearing test done while I pressurized my ears and did score a little better. Secondary stapedectomy revealed an eroded incus and that failed in about 3 weeks with a conventional wire-piston prosthesis. Second revision survery with lippy prosthetic is entering into year 3 with no degradation.

iprickle had it almost right. You want to see the best surgeon for revision stapedectomies. When I had mine done, two years ago, this was W.Lippy in Warran Ohio (google lippy video library for lots of great info, watch the eroded incus one in particular). I believe he has retired, but his practice is still open and I know he has been mentoring a Dr.Bernholtz for many years. At least one member here has had a successful primary from Dr.B. This practice is very receptive to written requests, I suggest you send them all the information in a letter and see what they say.

@zafdor said:

Yup, my primary stapedectomy failed the same way after 6 months. I was able even had a hearing test done while I pressurized my ears and did score a little better. Secondary stapedectomy revealed an eroded incus and that failed in about 3 weeks with a conventional wire-piston prosthesis. Second revision survery with lippy prosthetic is entering into year 3 with no degradation.

iprickle had it almost right. You want to see the best surgeon for revision stapedectomies. When I had mine done, two years ago, this was W.Lippy in Warran Ohio (google lippy video library for lots of great info, watch the eroded incus one in particular). I believe he has retired, but his practice is still open and I know he has been mentoring a Dr.Bernholtz for many years. At least one member here has had a successful primary from Dr.B. This practice is very receptive to written requests, I suggest you send them all the information in a letter and see what they say.

When I had my second surgery Oct. 5 this year, Dr Lippy was still operating I believe. I saw him in recovery and saw him going and coming out of surgery. He operated on a 90 year old woman my wife told me while I was in surgery. I watched her while I was in recovery get up and walk to the restroom by herself with her IV. I am still in wonder over that. I don’t know the type surgery she had but most likely a stapedectomy as she had a bandage behind her ear. Dr. B was my surgeon, great Doc and great place.

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