title: Experimental investigation of rotational tomography in reconstructed middle ears with clinical implications.
abstract: A large air-bone-gap after ossiculoplasty may be due to a malpositioned or displaced prosthesis. Rotational tomography (RT) has the potential to provide high-resolution images of implants without artifacts and with less radiation dosage than CT scan. Twenty-seven temporal bone specimens underwent measurements of middle ear transfer function using Laser-Doppler-Vibrometry (LDV) before and after placement of ossicular replacement prostheses (PORPs, TORPs) made of titanium. RT was performed on all specimens. RT allowed 3-dimensional viewing of the temporal bone, accurate localization of implants within the reconstructed middle ear and determination of angles between the inserted prostheses and the tympanic membrane (TM) and/or the malleus handle (MH). Presence or absence of contact between the implant and the TM, malleus or stapes could be clearly visualized. Displaced prostheses were readily identified. The functional LDV-measurements for TORPs showed a trend favoring coupling to the malleus handle, while for PORPs, coupling to the TM was favored. For PORPs, sound transmission was worse with increasing angles between the PORP and stapes superstructure (p<0.05). Following our experimental results RT is an innovative, relevant and useful imaging technique to obtain immediate postoperative feedback after ossicular reconstruction and to precisely determine the position of middle ear implants.
authors.affiliation: Dept of ORL, HNS, University of Freiburg, Killianstrasse 5, 79106 Freiburg, Germany. christian.offergeld@uniklinik-freiburg.de
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Offergeld
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kromeier
authors.forename: Saumil N
authors.initials: SN
authors.lastname: Merchant
authors.forename: Nicoloz
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Lasurashvili
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Neudert
authors.forename: Matthias
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bornitz
authors.forename: Roland
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Laszig
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Zahnert
mesh_terms: D000161:Acoustic Stimulation; D016477:Artifacts; D002102:Cadaver; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D009998:Ossicular Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D019933:Ossicular Replacement; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000517:prevention & control; D011859:Radiography; D012399:Rotation; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D014054:Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D014732:Vibration