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Transmastoid Superior Semicircular Canal Plugging: A Prospective Analysis of Surgical Outcomes
Georgios Kontorinis1, Margaret Gaggini2
1Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery.
Objectives:
To assess the outcomes of the transmastoid superior semicircular canal plugging in patients with superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD).
Study Design:
Prospective cohort study.
Setting:
Tertiary, university center.
Patients:
Patients with SSCD undergoing transmastoid superior semicircular canal plugging within a 30-month period.
Interventions:
Transmastoid superior semicircular canal occlusion.
Main Outcome Measures:
We documented the surgical technique, pre- and postoperative (3-month review) dizziness handicap inventory scores, average hearing thresholds, low-frequency air-bone gap, six-canal video head-impulse-test responses, improvement of the auditory symptoms and complications.
Results:
Out of 30 patients with SSCD, 11 patients (12 ears) were enrolled with an average age 41.17 years (range 32-65 years). Oscillopsia resolved in all patients; DHI score improved from 56.7 (range 22-84) preoperatively to 25.83 (10-46) postoperatively (p = 0.001), while out of the nine patients with troublesome auditory symptoms, five patients noticed an improvement. The average pre- and postoperative hearing thresholds were 15.2 dB (range 3-32.5 dB) and 14.17 dB (range 5-30 dB) (p = 0.73), respectively. The average pre- and postoperative low-frequency air bone gap was 12.3 dB (range 5-20 dB) and 9.4 dB (range 0-20 dB), respectively (p = 0.24) (Table 1). There were no major complications; two patients developed postoperative benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.
Conclusion:
Transmastoid plugging of the superior semicircular canal can safely and significantly improve the vestibular symptoms of the patients with SCDS, as well as the auditory symptoms in a substantial number of patients in a hearing-preservation way.
