[Evaluation on the virtual CT endoscopy of the simple congenital malformation and its clinical application]

To evaluate the preoperative virtual CT endoscopy about the simple congenital middle ear malformations and its clinical application.

Thirteen cases (16 ears) with simple congenital middle ear malformations were undergone high resolution CT scannig to collect the original image data, followed by 3-dimensional reconstruction to process the images to evaluate the possible lesions of the ossicular chain. Then, a comparative analysis was made between the finding of virtual CT endotoscopic and the finding that actually found during the operation of the ossicular chain lesions.

We found malleus and upper strcture of incus abnormity or embeded in upper inner wall of atticus in 5 ears; malleus, incus and stape all abnormity or absence in 3 ears, in the former two conditions we both selected auricular incision through attic pathway remaining intact canal wall; we found crus longum incudis hypoplasia orstructure suprastapedialis absence,stapes aberrance or absence in 8 ears, then we selected vestibular window fenestration and artificial stapes surgery. Postoperative external auditory canals and tympanic membranes were intact in 16 ears,and speech frequency hearing improved by average of 25-45 dB. The coincidence between virtual CT endoscopy and the ossicular chain abnormity under operating views were 100% in cases with congenital ear deformity.

Virtual CT endoscopy is a reliable reference for preoperative evaluation on congenital middle ear malformations.