Balance after stapedotomy: analysis of balance with computerized dynamic posturography

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate vestibular symptoms and their effect on the balance in otosclerosis patients undergoing stapedotomy operations. Design & setting: Prospective study at an academic tertiary referral centre. Participants: Thirty‐three patients undergoing stapedotomy were included in the study. Main outcome measures: Sensory organisation test (SOT) protocol of computerized dynamic posturography was used to analyse the balance in patients preoperatively, in the first postoperative week and the first postoperative month. Postoperative vestibular symptoms were analysed with a grading system. Audiograms were obtained preoperatively and 1 month after the operation. Results: Preoperatively, all patients were asymptomatic when considering the vestibular system; however, eight of them got low SOT scores on vestibular examination. Postoperatively 82% of the patients had vestibular complaints in variable severity. In the first week, all but one patient become asymptomatic. This patient recovered by the end of postoperative second week. However, a significant drop in SOT scores was encountered at the first week testing (Student’s T‐test, P = 0.001). One month after the operation, all patients were asymptomatic and SOT scores recovered at least to preoperative level. Neither patient characteristics, nor audiological findings were found to be correlated with vestibular changes. Conclusion: Stapedotomy causes a temporary balance loss in a high percentage of patients which then recover to their former levels in the first postoperative month.