The Cost-effectiveness of Stapes Surgery for Otosclerosis Performed Under Local Versus General Anesthesia

Otosclerosis is a localized disorder of the otic capsule, characterized by bone resorption anterior to the oval window in the region of the fissula ante fenestram. This process leads to new sclerotic bone formation, resulting in stapes footplate fixation. It is one of the most common causes of progressive conductive hearing loss in young adults between the age of 30 and 50 year-old. As the disease advances, hearing loss can become mixed and even purely sensorineural due to the pathological process extending into the cochlea.

Stapes surgery is the gold standard procedure for restoring mechanical sound transmission through the middle ear. For patients who are not candidates for surgery, hearing aids offer a valid alternative. Over the years, stapes surgery has evolved into a minimally invasive procedure that can be safely performed as day surgery, under either local or general anesthesia.

The COVID-19 crisis has exacerbated a shortage in anesthesiology teams, limiting operating room availability. To address this issue, stapes surgery for otosclerosis under local anesthesia were increasingly performed. Local anesthesia has several advantages: it allows for immediate hearing tests after prosthesis placement, enabling early detection and correction of vertigo caused by prosthesis displacement, thus minimizing major complications. Additionally, local anesthesia reduces exposure to general anesthesia, thereby decreasing postoperative morbidities.

While there are few studies comparing outcomes and complications of stapes surgery based on the type of anesthesia, a systematic review in 2013 found no difference in postoperative air-bone gap (ABG), sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), or postoperative vertigo between procedures performed under local versus general anesthesia. No studies have evaluated or compared the cost-effectiveness of stapes surgery for otosclerosis performed under local versus general anesthesia.

This study hypotheses that patients undergoing stapes surgery under local anesthesia will have equivalent outcomes to those under general anesthesia, with the potential for reduced costs and operative time.