Pneumolabyrinth After Otic Capsule-Disrupting Temporal Bone Fracture without Direct Connection with the Middle Ear Space

Pneumolabyrinth or pneumocochlea is an uncommon condition in which the vestibule or cochlea is filled with air. Although there have been several reports on pneumolabyrinth after stapes surgery, it has been rarely observed after temporal bone fracture. Air within the inner ear can be found even in the case having otic capsule-disrupting temporal bone fracture without definite connection with the middle ear space, which suggests the possible connection between the inner ear and the air-filled mastoid or middle ear cavities. We present a rare case of a 45-year-old male with a pneumolabyrinth that resulted from blunt head trauma and resolved spontaneously.