Radiological evaluation of the postsurgical middle ear.

OBJECTIVE The radiological evaluation of the postsurgical middle ear is complex due to the intricate anatomy of this region and the wide variety of procedures and materials used iin middle ear surgery. Knowledge of these factors will enable normal postsurgical changes to be differentiated from complications. This article describes the most common surgical procedures in the middle ear, their indications, and the normal radiological appearance after these procedures. It reviews the most common causes of failure in stapes surgery, in surgery for chronic otitis media, and in surgery for cholesteatoma, suggesting the best imaging method to assess the middle ear in each case. CONCLUSION Computed tomography enables the evaluation of prostheses and the aeration of the cavities, whereas magnetic resonance imaging makes it possible to characterize the possible occupation of the cavities and is the technique of choice for the follow-up of closed mastoidectomy for cholesteatomas.