Keywords: endoscopic surgery; general anesthesia; local anesthesia; microscope; otosclerosis; prosthesis; stapes surgery.
Stapes surgery has significantly evolved from the early identification of stapes fixation as a cause of hearing loss in the 18th century to advanced modern techniques. This narrative review examines the historical development and contemporary advancements in stapes surgery, focusing on all the critical aspects of surgical procedures: from patient positioning, to microscopic versus endoscopic visualisation, type of anaesthesia, characteristics of prosthesis, and different surgical techniques. A further analysis of special conditions has been made.