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A comparative study of the postoperative stapedectomy results for 264 ears with partial footplate removal (PFR) and for 106 ears with total footplate removal (TFR) was performed with reference to decibel gain in three specific frequency ranges, air‐bone gap closure, speech threshold and speech discrimination and incidence of postoperative complications. The data confirm a small but consistently greater decibel gain for PFR cases in the 2000‐8000 Hz range; the decibel gain in the 250‐1000 Hz range is virtually identical for PFR and TFR cases. Air‐bone gap closure and speech results also indicate a somewhat better average result in PFR as compared TFR cases. The permanency of speech discrimination results is examined.

Benign adenoma of the middle ear emerged as a distinct entity following a review of 20 cases as reported from the Armed Forces Institute of Pathology in 1976. We report 4 additional cases and note that the pathologic diagnosis is not so clear cut. Benign primary adenoma may be confused with adenocarcinoma, ceruminoma, and glomus tumor. The otologic surgeon must take a hard look at the clinical signs and symptoms to determine if they are compatible with the diagnosis of primary middle ear adenoma. While middle ear adenoma has recently been implicated as a cause of facial paralysis (including a case herein), bone destruction should never be found in concert with this neoplasm.