Jugular dominance is unrelated to isolated unilateral congenital aural atresia in children

The right jugular foramen is usually larger than the left in Homo sapiens, but it is unknown if right-sided jugular dominance is also more common amongst those with unilateral congenital aural atresia. We hypothesized that the dominant (i.e. larger) jugular foramen in children with isolated, non-syndromic, unilateral congenital aural atresia would be contralateral to the atretic ear. We reviewed high-resolution computed tomography scans of the temporal bones of 70 children with isolated, non-syndromic, unilateral congenital aural atresia. Images were viewed in the transverse (axial) plane by a board-certified neuroradiologist and a board-certified otolaryngologist. Consensus opinion was recorded. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the impact of age, sex, and side of aural atresia on jugular dominance. Jugular foramen dominance was not associated with the side of aural atresia (P = 0.20), age (P = 0.50) or sex (P = 0.76). Right-sided jugular dominance (46/70, 65.7%) was more common in both left- and right-sided unilateral aural atresia (P = 0.004). The side of jugular foramen dominance is not associated with the side of aural atresia in children with isolated, non-syndromic, unilateral congenital aural atresia. Right-sided jugular dominance is more common irrespective of unilateral aural atresia.