Three-dimensional assessment of the temporal bone and mandible deformations in patients with congenital aural atresia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the deformations of temporal bone and mandible combined with congenital aural atresia.

METHODS: A total of 158 patients with congenital aural atresia were included in the study. The raw CT data of the temporal bone was imported into MIMICS v 12 and threshold dissection, region growing and three-dimensional (3D) calculation were used to calculate 3D models. The 3D characteristics of the temporal bone and upper part of mandible were assessed.

RESULTS: The tympanic part of the temporal bone was all undeveloped. Of all the patients included, 14 patients were found to have severe maxillofacial malformations. Among them, 2 cases have floating arch, 4 cases have interrupted arch, 5 cases have mandibular processes hypoplasia and 3 cases have interrupted arch combined with severe maxillary malformation. Ten of the 14 patients were suffered from dysplasia of the mastoid part of the temporal bone as well.

CONCLUSION: Maxillofacial malformations may sometimes coexist with congenital aural atresia. Otolaryngologists should not neglect the coexisted maxillofacial malformations and give timely referral to maxillofacial surgeons.