Comparison of Sal and Bone-Conduction Audiometry in the Prediction of Gain from Stapes Surgery

Abstract

Air-conduction, bone-co,iduction, and SAJd audionietry were carried out both pre- and post-operatively in 15 otosclerotics who underwent fenestration of the oval window with teflon piston prosthesis. SAL compared favorably with conventional bone-conduction audionietry as a predictor of the surgical gain by air conduction in respect to relative consistency, absolute consistency and constant error of prediction.

Both SAI, and bone-conduction re occluded normals (absolute boneconduction) accuratcly predicted surgical gain, hut bone conduction re iinoccluded nornials (relative bone-conduction) led to an erroneous prediction.