Location of the middle cranial fossa dural plate in patients with chronic otitis media

This study aimed to determine whether or not the middle cranial fossa dural plate is located lower (i.e. more caudally) in patients with chronic otitis media, relative to adjacent structures. The authors retrospectively investigated computed tomography temporal bone scans of 267 ears of 206 patients who had undergone surgery with a diagnosis of chronic otitis media, together with scans of 222 ears of 111 patients without chronic otitis media. The depth of the middle cranial fossa dural plates was recorded. The mean depth of the middle cranial fossa dural plate was 4.59 mm in the study group and 2.71 mm in the control group (p < 0.001). The middle cranial fossa dural plate was located lower in the right ear in both the study and control groups. The middle cranial fossa dural plate was located lower in patients with chronic otitis media, and in the right ears of both patients and controls. Surgeons should take this low location into consideration, and take extra care, during relevant surgery on patients with chronic otitis media.