The stapedectomy procedure is conducted at some hospital or surgical center. General or local anesthetic is used at the beginning of this process. Local anesthetic is accompanied with a sedative for helping the patient to relax. General anesthetic puts patient to sleep by relaxing muscles; thus preventing the pain feeling during surgery.
The surgeon then uses one powerful microscope for looking inside the patient's ear. A cut is then made inside the ear close to the eardrum. The eardrum is then lifted to move it away from middle ear.
Three bones inside ear are then checked for ensuring about stapes being the reason for loss of hearing ability. Surgeons will then remove either a part of stapes or the entire stapes. At times, laser or small drill might be used in this process.
Post removal of stapes, one artificial stapes will be put inside patient's ear. This helps in reconnecting ear bones with inner ear. The eardrum is then restored back to correct position. Following this, a packing is inserted into ear canal to complete the surgery process.
Patients are often discharged on the surgery day itself and need to visit their surgeon after a week's time for removing the inserted packing. Due to some bruising or swelling during surgery, patients may not be able to hear properly till one month post procedure. Buzzing and ringing inside ear along with dizziness are certain after effects of this surgery. In rare cases, the patient's face on side of surgery may be temporarily weakened.
Hearing test will be conducted post one or two months from surgery for checking capability to hear.