Abstract
The preoperative evaluation of aural atresia and stenosis is strongly dependent upon high resolution CT. We have devised a 10 point surgical rating scale based on high resolution CT of the temporal bone that will provide radiologists with a stepwise method of evaluating these scans and will allow them to communicate these findings to otologic surgeons in a consistent fashion. We prospectively evaluated 1,500 patients with aural atresia or stenosis for eight critical areas of temporal bone anatomy, each area receiving 1 rating scale point, with the exception of the presence of a stapes, which received 2 points. The appearance of the external ear received the final point on the rating scale since the external ear is formed earlier than the middle ear and helps to predict its deformities. The presurgical score was utilized in selecting surgical candidates and was correlated with the intraoperative findings as well as the postsurgical results by comparing pre- and postoperative speech reception threshold. Patients with a presurgical rating of < or = 5 were not considered surgical candidates. Otherwise, the percentage of successful surgeries corresponded roughly to the rating scale. Thus, a presurgical rating of 8 points translates into an 80% chance of restoring hearing to normal or near-normal levels.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.