Early computed tomography findings of the inner ear after stapes surgery and its clinical correlations

Pneumolabyrinth resulting from temporal bone trauma and stapes luxation has been associated with sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL). The principal purpose of this study was to determine the incidence and volume of pneumolabyrinth after stapedotomy in which iatrogenic perilymphatic fistula is created and to also correlate this with possible hearing loss and vertigo.

Prospective study.

Tertiary referral center.

Fifty stapedotomy patients were operated on for otosclerosis, and of those 50, 20 underwent high-resolution computed tomography (CT) on the first day, 10 on the third day, and 20 on the seventh day. The patients followed up regarding SNHL and vertigo that could develop postoperatively, and the correlation of such complications with HRCT findings was examined.

The 20 patients who had high-resolution CT (HRCT) on the first day all presented with pneumolabyrinth, and none of the 20 patients who underwent HRCT on the seventh day had pneumolabyrinth. Postoperatively, 92% of the patients had less than 20 dB and 62% had less than 10 dB air-bone gap. None of the patients had SNHL or persistent vertigo. There was no correlation between pneumolabyrinth and hearing loss or vertigo.

Pneumolabyrinth is a radiological sign of perilymphatic fistula and has no effect on sensorineural hearing loss and vertigo. Observing pneumolabyrinth during the early postoperative stage should not necessarily implicate a complication; however, pneumolabyrinth after the first week supported with the clinical symptoms of perilymphatic fistula would be a meaningful finding.