Assessment and Treatment of Spontaneous Temporal Bone Meningoencephalocele for Hearing Gain

Meningoencephaloceles in the temporal bone originate from defects in the bony floor of the lateral skull base, i.e., in the upper surface of the temporal bone, and can lead to cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) leaks or meningitis [1]. Trauma, surgery, and malignancy most commonly produce these defects, but the spontaneous development of these complications without identifiable causes is less common [2]. The defects are conventionally repaired through a limited subtemporal craniotomy with elevation of the temporal lobe, or through a combined transmastoid and Middle Cranial Fossa (MCF) approach [3-6]. A more conservative intervention through the mastoid alone has been proposed by some authors in order to reduce the morbidity of the procedure. Combined cranioplasty techniques often are recommended for treating larger bone defects. With the aim of increasing the understanding and awareness of treatments for meningoencephaloceles in the temporal bone, we present the following case report of a satisfactory transmastoid repair of a spontaneous meningoencephalocele.