ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Despite the high prevalence of otosclerosis and its having long been a subject of scrutiny, cavitary changes in otosclerosis are rare and not well known. Here, we describe and introduce into the literature the unusual histologic and radiologic findings of cavitation and its possible clinical relevance in patients with advanced cochlear otosclerosis. METHODS: Cases with clinical otosclerosis and presence of cavitation were selected from our temporal bone collection and correlated with premortem imaging and clinical manifestations. RESULTS: Two cases of cochlear otosclerosis presented with a clinical syndrome possibly attributed to the existence of a cavity within the otosclerotic foci. CONCLUSION: Cavitating otosclerosis is a not well-known occurrence in patients with advanced cochlear otosclerosis, and it is a possible cause of a "third window" syndrome and surgical complications.
