Congenital aural atresia treated with floating mass transducer on the round window: 5 years of imaging experience

• Published in: Radiologia medica 2012-04, Vol.117 (3), p.488-499
• Main Authors: Barillari, M., Cerini, R., Carner, M., Cacciatori, C., Spagnolli, F., Cardobi, N., Mandalà, M., Colletti, L., Colletti, V., Pozzi Mucelli, R.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Congenital Abnormalities - diagnostic imaging; Congenital Abnormalities - therapy; Diagnostic Radiology; Ear, Inner - abnormalities; Ear, Middle - abnormalities; Female; Head and Neck Radiology; Humans; Imaging; Interventional Radiology; Male; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Neuroradiology; Prostheses and Implants; Radiologia della Testa e del Collo; Radiology; Round Window, Ear; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Transducers; Ultrasound; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0033-8362; 1826-6983
• DOI: 10.1007/s11547-011-0751-0

Purpose The aim of this paper is to illustrate imaging features of patients affected by congenital aural atresia (CAA) before and after treatment with a Vibrant SoundBridge (VSB) device implanted on the round window. Materials and methods Ten patients (5 males and 5 females; mean age 22.1 years) with CAA underwent preoperative high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) to estimate the degree of involvement of the middle- and inner-ear structures and highlight radiological landmarks useful for surgical planning. Results Bilateral CAA, mostly of the mixed type, was present in 7 patients and ossicular chain abnormalities in 16 ears (94% of cases). The round window region was normal in all patients, whereas facial-nerve course and/or caliber abnormalities were present in 6 ears (35.3%). The tympanic cavity was small in 13 ears (76.5%), whereas the mastoid was well pneumatized in 8/17 (47%). Conclusions HRCT provides accurate information about anatomy and malformations of the middle and inner ear and can thus assist the surgeon in planning the procedure.