Ankara Üniversitesi Tıp Fakültesi Mecmuas (Apr 2021)
Evaluation of Middle Ear and Mastoid Cells of COVID-19 Patients
Abstract
Objectives:Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2) is isolated as the cause of coronavirus disease-2019 (COVİD-19). Middle ear and mastoid air cells are covered with the airway mucosa. In COVİD-19, an involvement occurs in the airway mucosa; however, although the involvement of eustachian tube covered with this mucosa, middle ear, and mastoid is not known, there can be an intervention. The aim of the study is to investigate the findings of temporal tomography and evaluate the middle ear and mastoid in COVİD-19.Materials and Methods:A retrospective observational study was planned. Patients with a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test for SARS-CoV-2 and diagnosed with COVİD-19 were included in the study. COVİD-19 patients, who had temporal bone tomography scans (CT), were evaluated. One hundred twenty-nine COVİD-19 patients with positive PCR, who also had temporal bone scans, were included in the study. A grading system was used to evaluate the effusion in the middle ear and mastoid cells. According to this grading system, left and right middle ear and mastoid were evaluated separately. In the grading system, the scores were evaluated as 0=no effusion, 1=partial effusion, and 2=100% effusion. The maximum score was accepted as 8. Bilateral tympanic membranes of all the patients were normal.Results:Involvement was observed in three patients. Bilateral partial effusion and middle ear involvement were observed in two patients. In one patient, bilateral partial mastoid and unilateral partial middle ear involvement was detected. Temporal CTs of other patients were normal.Conclusion:No specific finding was found regarding temporal bone involvement from the temporal CT. Three patients had effusion in the middle ear and mastoid. SARS-CoV-2 generally does not affect the temporal bone; however, it rarely causes effusion in the mastoid and middle ear.
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