title: Valuable use of computer-aided surgery in congenital bony aural atresia.
abstract: Congenital aural atresia repair is difficult owing to unpredictable anatomy. Benefits may be gained from computer-aided surgery (CAS), but its exact role has yet to be clearly defined. This is a retrospective study of 18 patients with bony type C (Schuknecht classification) congenital atresia. In the first group (n = 9), repair was performed with CAS while in the second group (n = 9), similar intervention was applied without CAS. Intra- and post-operative clinical and audiological findings were compared. CAS computed tomography (CT) images correlated well with intra-operative findings giving the surgeon more security and reducing operative time by 25 minutes. In our estimation, CAS is valuable for type C congenital aural atresia repair. It serves as an educational tool and as a guide for the experienced surgeon in critical situations where anatomical landmarks are distorted and where access is limited.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Inselspital, University of Bern, Switzerland. marco.caversaccio@insel.ch
authors.forename: Marco
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Caversaccio
authors.forename: Joel
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Romualdez
authors.forename: Richard
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Baechler
authors.forename: Lutz-Peter
authors.initials: LP
authors.lastname: Nolte
authors.forename: Martin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kompis
authors.forename: Rudolf
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Häusler
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000601:surgery*; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000601:surgery; D004423:Ear / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D004431:Ear, External / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000601:surgery; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000002:abnormalities / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care / Q000379:methods; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome