Combined approach for tegmen defects repair in patients with cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea or herniations: our experience

Objectives To describe our departmental experience in the surgical repair of tegmen tympani defects using a combined transmastoid/minicraniotomic approach. Design Retrospective review of videos from surgery and patients' charts. Setting Tertiary university referral center. Participants Twenty-two patients who underwent surgical repair of tegmen defects associated with cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leakage and/or meningocele/meningoencephalocele by a combined transmastoid/minicraniotomic approach. Main Outcome Measures A retrospective review of videos of surgery and charts of patients with tegmen tympani or tegmen antri defects and CSF leakage, temporal lobe encephalocele, and/or meningoencephalocele. Results All patients underwent the combined approach and had their defects closed, without significant intraoperative or postoperative complications. Conclusions Mastoidectomy with temporal minicraniotomy represents an effective approach in patients with tegmen tympani dehiscence; the advantages of this technique are the control of the floor of the middle cranial fossa and the possibility to reach bony defects located anteriorly without manipulation of the ossicular chain and temporal lobe.