Very far-advanced otosclerosis.

The term very far-advanced otosclerosis is proposed to indicate otosclerotic patients with both bone and air conduction thresholds nonmeasurable on a standard clinical audiometer (blank audiogram). Three of these patients have undergone stapedotomy with satisfactory results. This confirms that cochlear implantation is not the best treatment for all profoundly deaf patients at least with implants available today. Some of the patients with a blank audiogram are better off with exploratory tympanotomy and stapedotomy.