Is there a relation between mastoid aeration and Körner’s septum?

• DOI: 10.1007/s00405-010-1277-0
• Publication Date: 2010-05-17T06:22:07Z
• Authors: Sema Zer Toros; Çiğdem Tepe Karaca; Tülay Erden Habeş...; Hülya Noşeri; Çiğdem Kalaycık E...; Barış Naiboğlu; Erol Egeli
• Keywords: Cohort Studies; 0301 basic medicine; 03 medical and health sciences; Sclerosis; Tympanoplasty; Humans; Cranial Sutures; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Mastoid; Petrous Bone; Retrospective Studies

The purpose of this study is to investigate the prevalence of Körner's septum (KS) in temporal bones with varying degrees of pneumatization and to evaluate any relationship between the degree of pneumatization and the presence of KS. Data were obtained retrospectively from 356 temporal bone high-resolution computed tomography of 178 patients who underwent tympanoplasty. Mastoid bone pneumatization was classified as aerated, diploic and sclerotic. The presence of Körner's septum was also investigated. The relationship between the presence of Körner's septum and the type of mastoid pneumatization was assessed. KS was encountered in 98 out of total 356 ears. Prevalence of KS was not statistically different between aerated (31%, n = 36), diploic (24.7%, n = 27) and sclerotic mastoids (26.9%, n = 35; p > 0.05). In conclusion, there is no relationship between the presence of KS and the degree of pneumatization. The presence of KS does not necessarily corroborate the presence of poor pneumatization.