title: Surgical management of labyrinthine fistula in chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To present the surgical outcomes of complete removal of the matrix of labyrinthine fistulas in a large series of middle ear cholesteatomas.
  
  
  METHODS
  This is a retrospective study. We analyzed 38 of 778 patients who were operated on for cholesteatoma and were proved to have labyrinthine fistula from 1991 to 2007. For this study, a more aggressive strategy was adopted that compromised immediate total removal of the matrix, regardless of size. To evaluate the safety and efficacy of the procedure, pre and postoperative pure-tone audiometry were compared and the recurrence rate was analyzed. Relevant data from the literature using a wide array of strategies were compared with our results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Only two patients suffered from postoperative hearing deterioration of bone conduction of more than 10dB HL. There was no relationship between the size of labyrinthine fistulas and postoperative hearing deterioration. Recurrence of labyrinthine fistulas was not found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Total removal of the cholesteatoma matrix in one step is a safe and effective method for the treatment of labyrinthine fistulas.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: In Seok
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Moon
authors.forename: Moon Oh
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Chong Yoon
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Sung-Jong
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Dae Bo
authors.initials: DB
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Jin
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won-Sang
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000601:surgery*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D005260:Female; D005402:Fistula / Q000601:surgery*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive; D006801:Humans; D007759:Labyrinth Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000601:surgery*; D013506:Otologic Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods*; D011183:Postoperative Complications; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome