This paper reports on a proposed unblinded, randomised controlled trial in which the hearing outcomes after inpatient stapes surgery will be compared with those after day case stapes surgery. The study is currently in the recruitment stage and plans to randomly assign 112 adult patients with otosclerosis to either inpatient or day case stapes surgery. Primarily the authors will assess pure tone audiograms at two months and one year postoperatively. In addition, they will also investigate the quality of life, tinnitus, vertigo and cost-effectiveness of the procedures using questionnaires at three months and one year and cost diaries. The aim of the study is to confirm the hypothesis that day case stapes surgery has the same hearing outcomes as inpatient stapes surgery but is associated with better quality of life and is more cost-effective than inpatient stapes surgery. In several countries like India, stapes surgery is already being performed as day care surgery due to its cost effectiveness and equally good hearing outcomes.
Day care stapes surgery
Reviewed by Gauri Mankekar
Day case stapes surgery: day case versus inpatient stapes surgery for otosclerosis: a randomized controlled trial.
CONTRIBUTOR
Gauri Mankekar
Department of Otolaryngology-Head Neck Surgery, Louisiana State University Shreveport, Louisiana, USA.
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