A Case of Bilateral Ossicular Chain Abnormality with Hearing Improved by Valsalva Experiment

We discuss hearing improvement pathology and mechanism induced in Valsalva experiment. A 47-year-old man with progressively bilaterally impaired hearing underwent exploratory tympanotomy. On the right side, we found perilymph leakage from the footplate and bilateral ossicular chain abnormality-complete separation of the I-S joint and of the posterior crus and footplate without stapes fixation. On the left, we found incomplete I-S joint separation and complete separation of the posterior crus and footplate without stapes fixation. We conducted partial stapedectomy on the right side and stapedotomy on the left. Histopathologically, the bone structure was normal. Postoperative bilateral hearing improved.