title: Clinical features and radiological evaluation of otic capsule sparing temporal bone fractures.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the clinical and radiological aspects of otic capsule sparing temporal bone fractures.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using medical records, 188 temporal bones of 173 patients with otic capsule sparing temporal bone fractures were evaluated. Otoscopic findings and symptoms, facial paralysis, and hearing loss were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Using regional analysis, 7 fractures were classified as type I, 85 as type II, 169 as type III and 114 as type IV. Fourteen of the 17 facial paralysis cases improved to House-Brackmann grade II or lower at an average of 57.6 days after the initial evaluation. Thirty-one patients underwent initial and follow-up pure tone audiometry examinations. The air-bone gap closed significantly from 27.2 dB at an average of 21.8 days post-trauma to 19.6 dB at an average of 79.9 days post-trauma, without the need for surgical intervention.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Initial conservative treatment for facial paralysis or conductive hearing loss is possible in otic capsule sparing fracture cases after careful evaluation of the patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology,College of Medicine,Catholic University of Korea,Seoul,Korea.
authors.forename: S W
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Song
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,College of Medicine,Catholic University of Korea,Seoul,Korea.
authors.forename: B C
authors.initials: BC
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery,College of Medicine,Catholic University of Korea,Seoul,Korea.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D000072700:Conservative Treatment; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006314:Hearing Loss, Conductive / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D038781:Otoscopy; D011859:Radiography / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012887:Skull Fractures / Q000145:classification / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000293:injuries*; D014432:Tympanic Membrane
keywords: Conductive Hearing Loss; Facial Paralysis; Fractures; Temporal Bone