Prevalence of carotid canal dehiscence in the human middle ear: A report of 1000 temporal bones

Edwin H. Moreano*, Michael M. Paparella, Daniel Zelterman, Marcos V. Goycoolea

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

46 Scopus citations

Abstract

A total of 1000 human temporal bones were used to study the prevalence of carotid canal dehiscence, microdehiscence, and thin bony coverage. Additionally, this study compares the prevalence according to sex and temporal bone age. A carotid canal dehiscence was detected in 77 (7.7%) bones. It was present bilaterally in 23.2% of the paired temporal bones. The prevalence of carotid canal dehiscence decreases with increasing temporal bone age. It was found in 10 (15.9%) bones in the younger than 2 age group, as opposed to 43 (6.8%) bones from the 40 and older group.The concept of microdehiscence of the carotid canal is introduced. A carotid canal microdehiscence was found in 74 (7.4%) bones. Microdehiscences were noted to occur bilaterally in 12.3% of the paired bones. The prevalence of carotid canal microdehiscence also decreases with increasing temporal bone age. It was detected in 7 (11.1%) bones in the younger than 2 age group, in contrast to 51 (7.5%) bones in the 40 and older group.A total of 134 (15.5%) temporal bones were found to have a thin bony coverage, without the presence of a dehiscence or microdehiscence. The prevalence of thin coverage was noted to increase linearly with age. A thin carotid canal was found in 2 (8.3%) bones from the younger than 2 age group, whereas 113 (17.3%) temporal bones from the 40 and older group exhibited this entity.To the best of our knowledge, this is the first systematic study of histologic sections of a large number of temporal bones that looks at these entities.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)612-618
Number of pages7
JournalLaryngoscope
Volume104
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - May 1994
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

copyright:© The American Laryngological, Rhinological and Otological Society, Inc.

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