Oval window atresia

Last revised by Craig Hacking on 7 Mar 2019

Oval window atresia or congenital absence of oval window shows absent cleavage plane between the lateral semicircular canal above and cochlear promontory below associated with anomalous stapes and malpositioned facial nerve (cranial nerve VII). 

Profound conductive hearing loss in children. The external auditory canal is intact and normal.

  • oval window is covered by thin bony plate best seen on coronal plane
  • stapes is malformed (usually absent paired crura and distal incus)
  • inferomedially positioned tympanic segment of the facial nerve canal which may completely overlie expected location of oval window
  • normal external auditory canal

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