In managing patient with congenital congenital aural atresia (CAA), preoperative high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scan and hearing assessment are important. A grading system based on HRCT findings was first introduced by Jahrsdoefer in order to select appropriate candidates for operation and to predict the postoperative hearing outcome in CAA patients. The score of eight and more was considered as a good prognostic factor for hearing reconstruction surgery. However previously in our center this score was not used as the criteria for surgical procedure. This study was conducted at Center A to evaluate the correlation between pre and postoperative hearing level with HRCT based on a Jahrsdoefer grading system in patients with CAA. All records and HRCT films with CAA from January 1997 until December 2007 at Center A were evaluated. The demographic data, operative records, pre and post operative hearing levels and HRCT findings were analyzed. Hearing level in this study was based on a pure tone average of air-bone gap at 500 Hz, 1 kHz and 2 kHz or hearing level obtained from auditory brainstem response eudiometry. This study was approved by Research Ethics Committee (code number, FF-197-2008). Thirty-two ears were retrospectively evaluated. The postoperative hearing level of 30 dB and less was considered as successful hearing result postoperatively. Of the six ears which underwent canalplasty, three had achieved successful hearing result. However, there was no significant correlation between preoperative hearing level (HL) with HRCT score and postoperative HL with HRCT score at 0.05 significant levels (correlation coefficient = -0.292, P = 0.105 and correlation coefficient = -0.127, P = 0.810) respectively. Hearing evaluation and HRCT temporal bone are two independent evaluations for the patients with CAA before going for hearing reconstructive surgery.
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