Detection of pneumolabyrinth after temporal bone trauma using computed tomography. (2nd July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Choi, Jin Woong; Lyu, Ah-Ra; Ryu, Kyeung A.; Kim, Dami; Park, Yong-Ho
• Is Part Of: Acta oto-laryngologica. Volume 136:Number 7(2016)
• Page Start: 682
• Page End: 686
• Publication Date: 2016-07-02
• Subjects: Temporal bone -- trauma -- pneumolabyrinth; Otolaryngology -- Periodicals; Ear -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Throat -- Diseases -- Periodicals; Otolaryngology -- Electronic Resources; Otorhinolaryngologic Diseases; 617.8
• DOI: 10.3109/00016489.2016.1157266
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0001-6489

Abstract

Abstract: Conclusion : Pneumolabyrinth is a very rare condition, even in otic capsule disrupting (OCD) fracture. Hearing was not always impaired, even in cases with OCD fracture. The co-existence of pneumocochlea, regarded as a risk factor for total hearing loss, was extremely rare in cases of pneumolabyrinth.Objectives : The purposes of this study were to analyze the radiological and clinical features in patients with pneumolabyrinth and to overcome the diagnostic pitfalls encountered during pneumocochlea detection.Materials and methods : The temporal bone computed tomographies (TBCT) of 402 patients diagnosed with temporal bone fracture along with their clinical records were retrospectively reviewed.Results : Only six patients (7% of those with OCD fractures or 1.5% of those with temporal bone fracture) were found to have pneumolabyrinth. Locations of the pneumolabyrinth were in the vestibule in all six cases and three of them showed air densities both in the cochlea and semicircular canal. The size of the air density in the vestibule was 5.38 ± 4.56 mm 2 at the axial view and 6.57 ± 5.67 mm 2 at the coronal view. The mean minimal Hounsfield unit (HU) of air density area in the vestibule was −968.1 ± 22.94 at the axial view and −941 ± 16.88 at the coronal view. Patients with pneumocochlea eventually developed total hearing loss.