OBJECTIVE: We explore the deformity degrees of external ear, mastoid process, tympanic cavity and auditory ossicle by the HRCT features of bilateral and unilateral patients of congenital abnormality of external and middle ear for preoperative analysis and selection for surgical approaches. METHOD: Twenty-nine patients were enrolled in our study, and HRCT were performed on all patients. There were 23 unilateral ears deformity (13 right and 10 left), 6 patients with bilateral ears deformity in the study group. Nineteen patients (19 ears) were treated with operations. RESULT: The deformity degree of auricle was correlated with that of external auditory meatus, and mastoid process develops bad aeration extent with bad tympanic cavity development in 35 ears in our research. We got data of shortest distance from tympanic cape to atresia board in HRCT, (0.59 +/- 0.13)cm in comparison group, (0.45 +/- 0.19)cm in unilateral deformity group, (0.32 +/- 0.12)cm in bilateral deformity group, and there were significant differences compared the two deformity groups with the comparison group. There were 1 ear with normal auditory ossicle (2.86%), 5 ears with fixation of stapes foot board (14.29%), 3 ears with no auditory ossicle (8.57%); 26 ears with malleus and incus abnormality (74.29%). Abnormality of malleus was always concomitant with that of incus. Degeneration of malleus, the joint amalgamation of malleus and incus were discovered mostly in this research. CONCLUSION The deformity degree of auricle is correlated with that of external auditory meatus, and mastoid process develops bad aeration extent with bad tympanic cavity development in 35 ears in our research. The shortest distance from tympanic cape to atresia board in HRCT in unilateral ears deformity group are shorten 0.15 cm in that of comparison group. And that of bilateral ears deformity group are shorten 0.25 cm in that of comparison group. The main abnormality of auditory ossicle in our research present in both malleus and incus, and degeneration of malleus and the joint amalgamation of malleus and incus are main types.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child, Preschool ; Ear Ossicles ; abnormalities ; Ear, External ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Ear, Middle ; abnormalities ; diagnostic imaging ; Humans ; Malleus ; abnormalities ; Radiography ; Temporal Bone ; diagnostic imaging ; surgery ; Young Adult