Intracranial complications of temporal bone osteoradionecrosis.

OBJECTIVE

To present four cases of life-threatening intracranial complications associated with temporal bone osteoradionecrosis.

STUDY

DESIGN

This study was a retrospective case review of four patients combined with a literature review.

SETTING

All patients were treated at Loyola University Medical Center, which is a tertiary care facility.

PATIENTS: The four patients were retrospectively reviewed without demographic constraints.

INTERVENTIONS: All patients underwent preoperative radiographic assessment (magnetic resonance imaging/computed tomography scan), and three of the four patients underwent surgery.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: The role of surgical intervention in the management of advanced temporal bone osteoradionecrosis.

RESULTS

Three patients underwent mastoid surgery after medical treatment of intracranial complications associated with temporal bone osteoradionecrosis. All three patients had dry, epithelialized mastoid cavities. One patient died as a result of meningitis.

CONCLUSIONS

Mastoid surgery should be used in the overall management of patients with advanced temporal bone osteoradionecrosis to prevent secondary intracranial complications.