Stapedectomy
What is Stapedectomy?
Stapedectomy is a surgical procedure to treat hearing loss caused by otosclerosis, a condition where the stapes bone in the middle ear becomes fixed, impairing sound transmission. The surgery involves removing part or all of the stapes and replacing it with a prosthetic device to restore hearing. In India, stapedectomy is performed in ENT departments at hospitals like Apollo, Fortis, Medanta, and AIIMS, often at affordable costs. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs is essential for patients.
Why do you need Stapedectomy?
Stapedectomy is indicated for:
- Otosclerosis:
- Abnormal bone growth around the stapes, fixing it in place and causing conductive hearing loss.
- Symptoms: Progressive hearing loss (often starting in 20s–30s), tinnitus, or difficulty hearing low-pitched sounds.
- Conductive hearing loss:
- Confirmed by audiometry (air-bone gap >20 dB); typically affects one or both ears.
- Failed non-surgical options:
- Hearing aids may help but don’t address the underlying issue; surgery is preferred for significant hearing loss.
- Candidates:
- Healthy patients with no active ear infections; typically adults (otosclerosis is rare in children).
The procedure aims to restore hearing by replacing the immobilized stapes with a prosthesis, allowing sound vibrations to reach the inner ear effectively.
Why Do Stapedectomy Costs Vary in India?
Costs range from ₹40,000 to ₹1 lakh:
- Procedure Complexity: Standard stapedectomy (₹40,000–₹70,000); with laser or complications (₹70,000–₹1 lakh).
- Hospital/Location: Higher in metro cities (Apollo, Fortis: ₹70,000–₹1 lakh); lower in government hospitals (AIIMS: ₹15,000–₹30,000, often subsidized under Ayushman Bharat).
- Surgeon’s Expertise: Experienced ENT surgeons charge more.
- Additional Costs: Anesthesia (₹5,000–₹15,000), hospital fee (₹5,000–₹10,000), prosthesis (₹5,000–₹10,000), medications (₹1,000–₹3,000).
- Insurance: Covered for functional hearing loss; confirm with your provider.
Stapedectomy Procedure
- Before Surgery Evaluation:
- Diagnosis:
- Audiometry: Confirms conductive hearing loss (air-bone gap).
- Tympanometry: Assesses middle ear function.
- CT scan (if needed): Evaluates otosclerotic bone growth and anatomy.
- Otoscopy: Rules out active infection or eardrum issues.
- Blood tests: Blood sugar, clotting profile (if general anesthesia used).
- Consent: Risks, including hearing loss, are explained.
- Diagnosis:
- Surgical Techniques:
- Stapedectomy:
- Performed under local anesthesia with sedation (or general anesthesia), lasting 45–90 minutes.
- Approach: Through the ear canal (transcanal) or with a small incision behind the ear (endaural).
- Microscope: Otomicroscope used for precision.
- Stapes removal:
- Eardrum lifted to access the middle ear.
- Stapes bone (or part of it) removed after confirming fixation (otosclerosis).
- A small hole (stapedotomy) is made in the stapes footplate using a microdrill or laser.
- Prosthesis: A tiny piston (e.g., Teflon or titanium, 4–5 mm) is inserted, connecting the incus (middle ear bone) to the inner ear.
- Eardrum repositioned; ear canal packed with dissolvable material (e.g., Gelfoam).
- Intraoperative Tools:
- Otomicroscope: Provides magnified view.
- Microdrill/laser: Creates stapedotomy.
- Prosthesis: Restores sound conduction.
- Stapedectomy:
- After Surgery:
- Hospital stay: Same-day discharge or 1 day.
- Care: Keep ear dry; avoid sudden head movements or pressure changes (e.g., flying) for 4–6 weeks.
- Pain management: Mild discomfort for 1–3 days; managed with acetaminophen.
- Instructions: Avoid water in ear (e.g., use earplugs for bathing); no heavy lifting for 2–3 weeks.
Recovery After Stapedectomy
- Hospital Stay: Same-day discharge or 1 day.
- Post-Surgery Care:
- Discomfort: Mild ear fullness or pain for 1–3 days; resolves quickly.
- Hearing: Initial muffled sound due to packing; improvement starts in 1–2 weeks, with optimal hearing in 6–12 weeks.
- Activity: Rest for 2–3 days; avoid strenuous activity or heavy lifting for 4 weeks.
- Ear care: Keep dry for 4–6 weeks; avoid pressure changes (e.g., flying, scuba diving) for 6 weeks.
- Dizziness: Mild vertigo common for 1–3 days; resolves spontaneously.
- Follow-Up:
- Visits at 1 week (remove packing), 1 month, and 3 months.
- Audiometry: At 1–3 months to confirm hearing improvement.
Most resume normal activities in 3–5 days; full recovery takes 4–6 weeks. Success rate: 90–95% achieve significant hearing improvement (air-bone gap reduced to <10 dB); 1–2% may have no improvement or worsening.
Risks and Complications
- Surgical Risks:
- Hearing loss (1–2%): Sensorineural hearing loss (inner ear damage); rare but serious.
- Dizziness (5–10%): Temporary (1–2 weeks); due to inner ear manipulation.
- Infection (1–2%): Middle ear infection; treated with antibiotics.
- Post-Surgery:
- Tinnitus (2–5%): Ringing in ear; usually temporary, may persist in 1–2%.
- Prosthesis displacement (1–2%): May cause hearing loss or dizziness; needs revision surgery.
- Perilymph fistula (<1%): Leak of inner ear fluid; causes dizziness/hearing loss, needs urgent repair.
- Facial nerve injury (<1%): Temporary weakness; rare with experienced surgeons.
- Long-Term:
- Recurrence of otosclerosis (5–10% over 10 years): May affect prosthesis function; needs revision.
- Taste disturbance (1–2%): Due to chorda tympani nerve injury; usually resolves in 3–6 months.
Report severe dizziness, hearing loss, fever, or facial weakness promptly.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What causes otosclerosis?
Genetic predisposition (family history in 50% of cases); hormonal factors (e.g., pregnancy) may worsen; affects 1% of the population.
Can I avoid stapedectomy?
Yes, if mild: Hearing aids can help; surgery is for significant hearing loss impacting quality of life.
Is stapedectomy painful?
Mild discomfort for 1–3 days, managed with medication; recovery is quick.
How soon can I resume activities?
Normal activities: 3–5 days; full recovery: 4–6 weeks; avoid pressure changes for 6 weeks.
Is stapedectomy covered by insurance in India?
Yes, for functional hearing loss; confirm with your provider.
Signs of complications?
Severe dizziness, hearing loss, fever, or facial weakness.
Will my hearing be fully restored after stapedectomy?
90–95% achieve significant improvement; rare cases (1–2%) may have no change or worsening.
Lifestyle changes post-surgery?
Keep ear dry, avoid pressure changes (e.g., flying), and attend follow-ups to monitor hearing.
Conclusion
Stapedectomy is a highly effective procedure to restore hearing in otosclerosis, with a high success rate and minimal recovery time. India’s top hospitals (Apollo, Fortis, AIIMS) provide affordable care, often covered by insurance. Understanding the procedure, costs, recovery, risks, and FAQs helps patients approach surgery confidently. Consult an ENT surgeon for personalized guidance.
Looking for Best Hospitals for Stapedectomy
Note: we are not promoting any hospitals
we are not promoting any hospitals we sourced all the details from google and hospitals website, please verify and start with your surgery here we go the list includes government, budget and superspeciality hospitals accreditation bodies are the National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare Providers (NABH) and the Joint Commission International (JCI)
- click on your city and schedule your surgery now done in good hands.
| City | Minimum Price (₹) | Maximum Price (₹) |
|---|---|---|
Agra |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Ahmedabad |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Ajmer |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Aligarh |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Allahabad |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Amritsar |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Aurangabad |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Bangalore |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Bareilly |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Belgaum |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Bhopal |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Bhubaneswar |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Bikaner |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Chandigarh |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Chennai |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Coimbatore |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Dehradun |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Delhi |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Dhanbad |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Durgapur |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Faridabad |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Ghaziabad |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Gorakhpur |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Guntur |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Gurgaon |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Guwahati |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Gwalior |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Hyderabad |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Indore |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Jabalpur |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Jaipur |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Jalandhar |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Jamshedpur |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Jodhpur |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Kanpur |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Kochi |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Kolkata |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Kollam |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Lucknow |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Ludhiana |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Madurai |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Mangalore |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Meerut |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Moradabad |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Mumbai |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Mysore |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Nagpur |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Nashik |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Navi Mumbai |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Noida |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Patna |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Pune |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Raipur |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Rajkot |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Ranchi |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Surat |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Thane |
50,000 |
1,20,000 |
Vadodara |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Varanasi |
40,000 |
1,00,000 |
Visakhapatnam |
45,000 |
1,10,000 |
Disclaimer
This information is sourced from open platforms and is for general awareness only. Costs may vary based on individual cases. Please consult a qualified doctor for medical advice and explore options within your budget before deciding on the procedure.