Stapes Surgery in many cases will restore hearing to a normal level. The stapes (stirrup) becomes fixed with an abnormal bone growth and no longer transmits sound to the inner ear effectively. Under the operating microscope, a tiny piston is placed in the ear replacing the stapes and restoring the transmission of sound to the inner ear. Many of the techniques used in modern stapes surgery were developed at the Farrior Ear Clinic. Dr. Jay Farrior has one of the largest experiences in stapes surgery, in the South eastern United States.

Reconstruction of the eardrum and small bones in the middle ear will often restore hearing that has been lost as a result of chronic ear infections, perforated eardrum, or trauma to the ear. The multilayer sandwich graft tympanoplasty, developed by Dr. Jay Farrior, is the most successful surgical technique for reconstruction of the ear drum (98 - 99% successful). In most cases middle ear function and hearing can be restored in a single operation, even after multiple failures by other surgeons.

Congenital hearing loss caused by deformities of the outer ear and absence of an ear canal are often successfully corrected with surgical reconstruction of the ear canal, eardrum, and small bones of the middle ear. In 65% of patients the deformity requires rebuilding the eardrum and the small bones of hearing. Thirty percent require some form of stapes surgery, and in 10% it is necessary to bypass the middle ear deformity and make a new opening for sound to reach the inner ear. The goal of congenital ear surgery is to restore hearing and eliminate the need for a hearing aid. If there are severe deformities of the middle ear or facial nerve that prevent middle ear reconstruction a BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Apparatus) can often effectively restore sound transmission to the inner ear.

BAHA (Bone Anchored Hearing Apparatus) is a semi-implanted hearing device that bypasses the ear canal and middle ear by sending sound through the skull to the inner ear. It is useful in restoring hearing to those individuals who cannot use a hearing aid because of infection, previous ear surgery, or congenital ear deformities. The BAHA is also helpful in restoring hearing and sound direction to people who have lost the hearing in one ear, by transmitting sound through the skull to the opposite good ear.

Cochlear implants transmit an electronic sound signal to the inner ear to restore hearing to people with nerve hearing loss who cannot hear in either ear using a hearing aid, or whose understanding is so poor a hearing aid is of little help. The electronic signals are interpreted by the individual as words and sounds. Recent advances in computer and cochlear implant technology continue to improve word understanding for the cochlear implant user.