Alberti A, et al. - Authors evaluated the long-term effectiveness of stapedotomies performed on patients with otosclerosis and preoperative small air-bone gaps (ABGs). The lack of clinical improvement found in the small ABG group was not in favour of an early surgery, even though long-term hearing levels could evolve similarly in patients with ≤20 and > 20 dB preoperative ABGs. Hearing measurements were similar for both groups, 10 years after the operation, however, a significant decline of bone conduction thresholds was evident.