[Diagnosis of labyrinthine fistula in patients suffering from otitis media purulenta chronica with cholesteatoma: informative value of different methods].

Informative content of different methods of labyrinthine fistulas (LF) diagnosis was assessed in 118 patients suffering from otitis media purulenta chronica (OMPC) with cholesteatoma which ran for 20 years and longer in 82.2% patients, 83.9% had fistula symptom. Unilateral hypoacusis was diagnosed in 68 (57.6%), bilateral--in 50 (42.4%) patients. Severity of vestibular disorders correlated positively with LF size and duration of the disease. Advanced LF was detected in 65 (55.1%) patients, multiple--in 7 (5.9%). Computed tomography of the temporal bone detected LF in all 29 OMPC examinees including "silent" fistulas. Thus, the disease history, clinically manifest fistula symptom and CT of the temporal bone are most informative for diagnosis of LF in OMPC with cholesteatoma.