Juvenile otosclerosis. A 20-year study.

An in-depth study of 610 patients who developed clinical otosclerosis before the age of 18 is reported; this is 15.1% of the total number of stapedectomy cases performed within the period 1961 to 1981. The study illustrates differences noted in those patients who had surgery performed before age 18 and those whose surgery was performed after age 18. These differences will be analyzed with respect to sex, family history, bilaterality, preoperative cochlear reserve, stapes footplate pathology, type of footplate surgery, and postoperative hearing results, as well as the follow-up for delayed complications and delayed hearing losses. Statistical data supports the hypothesis that there is no contraindication to performing stapedectomy surgery in children. This study demonstrates that the success rate is significantly higher in the under-age-18 group and correlates closely with the less severe footplate pathology encountered in children.