Considering the effect of Stapes Footplate's macroscopic vision on surgical complication rate

*Çayır, Serkan ( Aksaray, Yazar )Objective: To determine the effect of stapes footplates color on the intraoperative complications and outcomes of otosclerosis surgery Design: Retrospective study Setting: Ankara Numune Hospital database records between 2008 and 2011 Subjects: Eighty-six patients who underwent otosclerosis surgery between 2008 and 2011 (38 male and 48 female) were conducted to the study. Intervention: Patients were classified into three groups according to the stapes footplates macroscopic view before stapedectomy application as blue (67%), white (21%) and obliterative (12%). Main outcome measures: Among the groups, demographical variables, preoperative and postoperative air-bone gap, gain scores and intraoperative complications were investigated. Results: In the white otosclerosis group, female gender (P=.013) and bilaterality (P=.032) rates were higher than the blue otosclerosis group. The air-bone gap closure was 22 dB in white otosclerosis, 15 dB in blue otosclerosis and 16 dB in obliterative otosclerosis. The groups were evaluated in terms of the footplate complications that occur during the operation. It was estimated that 44.2% of footplate complications were seen in white otosclerosis, while this percentage was 3.4% in blue otosclerosis. No footplate complications were found in obliterative otosclerosis. Conclusion: The intraoperative macroscopic evaluation of the color changes of stapes footplate was found to be significant in terms of intraoperative complications. Related with this, to decrease intraoperative complication rate, well-experienced surgeons should evaluate the stapes footplate color before stapedectomy procedure and beginner surgeons should gain experience in cases of blue otosclerosis