Indikationen für die HR-CT nach erfolgter Stapedotomie in der frühen postoperativen Phase

Purpose: This is an analysis of high-resolution computed tomography (HR-CT) performed in patients with and without symptoms after stapes surgery during the early postoperative phase. Materials and Methods: We examined 37 patients who underwent stapes surgery between January 1995 and December 2000. HR-CT of the temporal bone was performed in axial and coronal planes with 1-mm-slice thickness and table feed. A reoperation was performed in 7 patients. CT findings were compared with clinical follow up and surgical findings. Results: All patients showed postoperative opacification of the tympanic cavity and external auditory canal as well as partial opacification of the mastoid on CT scans. A dislocation of the prosthesis was found in 11 cases and air bubbles were seen in the vestibule of 5 patients. In one case, small bone fragments were detected in the vestibule. In 6 of 7 cases, CT results were confirmed by retympanotomy. Conclusions: Due to overlapping of normal and pathological findings in the early postoperative period, indications for HR-CT are limited in this period.