title: [Clinical analysis of 38 cases of petrous apex cholesteatoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To explore the clinical characteristics, diagnosis method and treatment of petrous apex cholesteatoma.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective analysis was taken with respects to the clinical characteristics, diagnosis and surgical management of 38 patients who underwent surgery for petrous apex cholesteatoma in our department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (1)31 patients had unilateral hearing loss and facial paralysis of different degree, 27 patients were firstly characterized with hearing loss, and followed by facial paralysis. 6 cases had facial paralysis as the main performance. (2)17 patients had syndrome of tinnitus, and 15 patients had syndrome of vertigo and 4 cases of severe pain of ear. (3)All patients had petrous bone destroy with high resolution CT scan, while MRI suggests the presence of pathological changes in petrous apex. (4)All patients were taken surgeries to remove the lesion, and translabyrinth approach was chosen for 23 patients, middle cranial fossa approach is 12, while 3 case has choose endoscopic approach. 8 cases were operated with facial nerve decompression. 7 cases was taken end to end anastomosis. 3 cases of great auricular nerve transplantation. There is no recurrence in follow-up of 1 years to 2 years.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The clinical manifestations of petrous apex cholesteatoma lack specificity, and high resolution CT and MRI has important value in the diagnosis of petrous apex cholesteatoma. The strategy of surgical operation should be taken according to the classification, location of petrous apex cholesteatoma as well as hearing level and facial nerve function with patients.
authors.forename: Zhiting
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Chen
authors.forename: Nan
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Wu
authors.forename: Fangyuan
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Kun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Lili
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Ren
authors.forename: Jianan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Shiming
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Yang
mesh_terms: D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery*; D035301:Cranial Fossa, Middle; D019299:Decompression, Surgical; D005154:Facial Nerve; D005158:Facial Paralysis; D034381:Hearing Loss; D046088:Hearing Loss, Unilateral; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D010579:Petrous Bone; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed