Otosclerosis

otosclerosis: see deafness.

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otosclerosis [¦ōd·ō·sklə′rō·səs]

(medicine)

Sclerosis of the inner ear, causing a progressive increase in deafness.

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Otosclerosis 

an ear disease that is characterized by the abnormal growth of bony tissue into the region of the fenestra vestibuli, which connects the middle ear to the inner ear. Such growth causes the foot plate of the stapes to become embedded in the fenestra vestibuli, thus hindering or blocking transmission of sound oscillations through the auditory ossicles into the internal ear.

The causes of otosclerosis are unknown. Among the assumed related factors are dysfunction of the endocrine glands and loud noises. Otosclerosis is usually bilateral, generally starting in youth, more rarely in childhood. It is much more common in women than in men and is manifested by a progressive loss of hearing and the sensation of noise in the ears. It frequently results in substantial hearing impairment and sometimes even deafness.

Treatment is mostly surgical. Hearing improves in most patients after the operation. Conservative treatment, using either drugs or physical therapy, is ineffective. Hearing aids are resorted to in cases of severe impairment.

REFERENCE

Preobrazhenskii, N. A., and O. K. Patiakina. Stapedektomiia i stapedoplastika pri otoskleroze. Moscow, 1973.

N. A. PREOBRAZHENSKII