Cochlear fistula found in a naturally healed tympanic cavity

Abstract

A cochlear fistula found in a naturally healed mastoid cavity is reported. The patient is a 53-year-old Japanese woman who was complaining of unsteadiness. She hada long history of otorrhoea in childhood. Her tympanic and mastoid cavities were widely open and were covered by thin epithelium. The posterior wall of the ear canal was missing. She had no hearing in the ear but responded to electrical promontory testing. Exploratory surgery was indicated at which fistulae of the basal turn of the cochlea and the horizontal semicircular canal were found. These fistulae were sealed by pieces of bone andmuscle.

Fistula of the Cochlear Labyrinth in Noncholesteatomatous Chronic Otitis Media

“…Without including petrous apex cholesteatoma (35), only a few cases of cochlear fistula are sufficiently detailed to include information on hearing conditions (2,3,32,36,(37)(38)(39)(40). The majority of these were secondary to extensive cholesteatoma, which also commonly led to posterior labyrinth involvement (3,32,(38)(39)(40).…”

“…The majority of these were secondary to extensive cholesteatoma, which also commonly led to posterior labyrinth involvement (3,32,(38)(39)(40). Total preoperative deafness was observed in three cases (36,39,40). When the cochlear endosteum was invaded by the cholesteatoma or was damaged during surgical intervention, severe hearing loss or anacusis invariably occurred (2,32).…”