Management of iatrogenic facial nerve palsy and labyrinthine fistula in mastoid surgery

A 6-year review of complications of mastoid surgery between June 1995 and June 2001 revealed five cases with serious iatrogenic complications from mastoid surgery, of which four were facial nerve palsy and two were labyrinthine fistula. One of these patients had concomitant facial nerve palsy and labyrinthine fistula. There were two cases of complete facial nerve palsy (House Brackmann grade VI) and two cases of incomplete palsy (House Brackmann grades IV and V). The second genu was the site of injury in three of the four cases. Of the four cases with facial nerve palsy, two patients had full recovery (House Brackmann grade I), one recovered only to House Brackmann grade III, and one was lost to follow-up. Both patients with labyrinthine fistula had postoperative vertigo and profound sensorineural hearing loss. The site of iatrogenic fenestration was the lateral semicircular canal in both cases.