ANEURYSMAL BONE-CYST OF THE PETROSAL BONE - A RARE CAUSE OF RECURRENTBACTERIAL-MENINGITIS

Occult malformations of the skull base are very rare disorders which c annot initially be diagnosed clinically. They become first symptomatic , if complications arise. The most frequent clinical manifestation is a recurrent bacterial meningitis. Based on the unique case of a presum ably congenital aneurysmal bone cyst of the petrosal bone, which impos ed clinically as hearing loss and recurrent bacterial meningitis, we h ave evaluated the extensive literature on this theme. Considering most ly atypical clinical findings, solely coronal thin-section computed to mographic scans of the skull base allow a reliable diagnosis. The poss ible risks of this investigation (necessary sedation up to insufflatio n anesthesia and the radiation exposure of the child's lens) are justi fiable and subordinate to the diagnostic importance.