Inner ear barotrauma: computed tomographic evaluation.

Eight patients with inner ear barotrauma were evaluated by computed tomography. The causes of the inner ear barotrauma were diving in four, flying in an airplane in three, and climbing in one. Regarding the width of the cochlear aqueduct, no significant difference was observed between the affected side (3.28 +/- 0.49 mm) and non-affected side (3.63 +/- 0.79 mm) at the base of the infundibulum. The jugular fossa could not be identified on the affected side in three patients. Some relationship may exist between inner ear barotrauma and poor development of the jugular fossa.