Audiological and Radiological Characteristics in Incomplete Partition Malformations.

OBJECTIVE To compare the audiological and radiological findings of patients with incomplete partition malformations (IPs) and analyze the relationship between the audiological and radiological findings. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included 84 patients (168 ears) with IPs as follows: 26 patients with Type I;IP-I (41 ears), 54 patients with Type II;IP-II (108 ears), and 4 patients with Type III;IP-III (8 ears). Remaining 11 ears were diagnosed with other inner ear malformations. Air and bone conduction thresholds were determined with pure tone audiometry, and the air bone gap was recorded in all patients with IPs. Magnetic resonance imaging studies and computerized tomography scans of the temporal bones were analyzed using the PACS system of our university. RESULTS It was found that all the ears with IP-I were diagnosed with severe to profound hearing loss. The degree of the hearing loss varied from mild to severe/profound in patients with IP-II. Severe to profound mixed hearing loss (MHL) was determined in all ears with IP-III. The air bone gap was larger in the lower frequencies in the IP-II cases diagnosed with MHL. There was not a significant difference between the air bone gap and the size of the vestibular aqueduct in ears with IP-II (p>0.05). CONCLUSION Each type of IP has different audiological findings. Depending on the type and degree of the hearing loss, it is possible to choose the appropriate audiological intervention. Patients with IP should be evaluated according to the type of malformation.