CT air meatography: review of side effects in 60 patients

Sixty patients investigated for a suspected acoustic neuroma were questioned on the side effects of CT air meatography, a minimum of three months following the procedure. Twelve per cent of patients found the procedure itself so painful that a repeat examination would only be contemplated under general anaesthesia. Only 20 per cent of patients were asymptomatic after the procedure while 28 per cent of patients required bed rest for 24 hours or more (average 4.4 +/- 2.8 days). Sixty-two per cent of patients took three days or longer to return to normal health. The duration and frequency of side effects is greater than previously reported, and emphasizes the need for full investigation of these patients prior to CT air meatography.