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The relationship between mastoid pneumatization and the position of the sigmoid sinus

European Archives of Oto-Rhino-Laryngology volume 253, pages 421–424 (1996)Cite this article

Abstract

Using high-resolution computed tomography, we measured the cross-sectional area of mastoid air cells and the shortest distance between the external auditory canal and the anterior edge of the sigmoid sinus (DIST), and then compared the right-left difference in 70 patients with unilateral chronic otitis media and 23 cases without middle ear disease. DIST was significantly short where there was poor mastoid pneumatization (P < 0.0001), regardless of whether it was the right or left ear. Furthermore, on the well-pneumatized temporal bone, the increase in size of the cross-sectional area was closely correlated with the increase in DIST (r = 0.495). We suggest that the relative position of the external auditory canal and the sigmoid sinus is affected by middle ear inflammations in childhood.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Hirosaki University School of Medicine, 5 Zaifu-cho, 036, Hirosaki, Japan

    H. Ichijo, m. Hosokawa & H. Shinkawa

Authors
  1. H. Ichijo
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  2. m. Hosokawa
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  3. H. Shinkawa
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Ichijo, H., Hosokawa, m. & Shinkawa, H. The relationship between mastoid pneumatization and the position of the sigmoid sinus. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 253, 421–424 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168495

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00168495

Key words

  • External auditory canal
  • Sigmoid sinus
  • Computed tomography
  • Chronic otitis media
  • Mastoid pneumatization