title: Middle ear volume as an adjunct measure in congenital aural atresia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine middle ear volume in patients with aural atresia and investigate the role of middle ear volume as an adjunct measure in determining surgical candidacy.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective review of children with aural atresia in a tertiary academic pediatric otolaryngology practice. High resolution multiplanar CT scans of the temporal bones were analyzed for middle ear volume and staged according to existing clinical grading scales. Atretic ears were compared to the nonatretic ears of the same patient as well as to ears of a control population.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average age of patients at the time CT was performed was 4.7 years (range <0.1-13.8 years). The average middle ear volume of the atretic ears was 0.34 cc compared to an average of 0.51 cc for the nonatretic ears. The mean ratio of the atretic to nonatretic volume was 0.67. In patients who underwent serial scans, no statistically significant difference in rates of growth existed between atretic and nonatretic ears. Finally, measures of middle ear volume correlated well with clinical grading scales.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Both middle ear volume and the ratio of the atretic volume to nonatretic volume serve as useful adjunct measurements in determining surgical candidacy. The practitioner may be better able to assess surgical candidacy by supplementing classic atresia classification systems with middle ear volume measurements.
authors.affiliation: Bobby R. Alford Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Baylor College of Medicine, One Baylor Plaza, Houston, TX 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Alexander J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Osborn
authors.forename: John S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oghalai
authors.forename: Jeffrey T
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Vrabec
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000002:abnormalities* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed