Obliteration of the mastoid in the treatment of tumors of the temporal bone.

A retrospective analysis of 29 cases of squamous cell carcinoma of the external and middle ear and 15 cases of glomus jugulare tumors of the middle ear was performed to evaluate the incidence of osteoradionecrosis of the temporal bone following surgery and/or radiotherapy. Osteoradionecrosis occurred in 42% (8/19) of cases of squamous cell carcinoma which were treated with radical mastoidectomy, lateral or subtotal temporal bone resection leaving an open cavity and followed by an average of 5,840 rad postoperatively. No osteoradionecrosis, wound breakdown or otorrhea occurred in another group of six patients who were treated by surgical exenteration, total cavity obliteration, and an average of 5,700 rad of postoperative radiotherapy. Thus, cavity obliteration significantly decreased the incidence of these complications (p less than 0.05). In contrast, in 15 patients treated by surgery and postoperative irradiation (average dose = 4,610 rad) for glomus jugulare tumors, no osteoradionecrosis occurred despite use of an open cavity technique.