Post-traumatic otosclerosis: coincidence or trigger factor?

OBJECTIVE: The etiology of otosclerosis is poorly understood and environmental as well as genetic factors have been implicated. In this paper we will present 3 cases of otosclerosis with a clinical history of trauma and we will discuss with a literature review the place of trauma in otosclerosis etiology. CLINICAL CASES: 3 patients with clinically diagnosed otosclerosis, operated, and with a clinical history of previous head trauma. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: It is probable that environmental factors could be involved in the development of the disease and we think that trauma could be one of them. The mechanisms by which it could results in otosclerosis remain unknown. However these cases appear to be rare and under studied.