CT OF POSTMENINGITIC DEAFNESS - OBSERVATIONS AND PREDICTIVE VALUE FORCOCHLEAR IMPLANTS IN CHILDREN

PURPOSE: To demonstrate CT abnormalities encountered in children with postmeningitic deafness and to assess the value of CT in the predictio n of cochlear implantation difficulties. METHODS: Thirteen children wi th postmeningitic deafness were evaluated with high-resolution, thin-s ection CT. CT findings were correlated with surgical anatomy at the ti me of cochlear implantation, with particular regard to the prediction of implant success. RESULTS: CT findings included normal scans (3 of 1 3, 23.1%), cochlear stenosis (5 of 13, 37.7%), cochlear fibroossific c hange (1 of 13, 7.7%), cochlear ossification (4 of 13, 30.8%), and oss eous hypertrophy at the round window niche (4 of 13, 30.8%). Nine of 1 0 patients with abnormal findings had incomplete or difficult implanta tions (90%); 7 (88.8%) of these 9 received limited electrode insertion s. CONCLUSION: Attention to subtle otological abnormalities on thin-se ction CT is helpful in the prediction of early success or failure of i mplantation in children with postmeningitic deafness. Those with CT ab normalities had a 90% risk of incomplete or difficult insertions with a 70% chance of limited electrode insertion.