Five-Year Study of Wire Loop-Absorbable Gelatin Sponge Technique

Abstract

IN OCTOBER OF 1961, the first prefabricated wire loop-absorbable gelatin sponge stapedectomy was performed at the Otologic Medical Group. This technique has been used continually since that time. During the eight months between October 1961 and June 1962, one of us (HPH) performed 700 primary stapedectomies using this technique. These patients were the subject of our long-term study. Four hundred of these patients lived within a radius of 100 miles of Los Angeles. Every means of communication were used to contact these patients either at their residence or place of employment. In spite of these concentrated efforts, only 140 or one-third of these initial 400 patients were available for examination and testing five years after their surgery. Of the 140 cases that were available, it was necessary to eliminate 19. Seven were excluded because they were far-advanced otosclerotics and the bone conduction levels preoperatively were beyond the range of the