Abstract:()Abstract:ObjectiveTo evaluate the incidence, location and related risk factors of facial nerve dehiscence (FND) in mastoidectomy of patients with chronic suppurative otitis media (CSOM) and middle ear cholesteatoma.MethodsClinical data of 1016 ears (683 cholesteatoma and 333 CSOM) undergoing mastoidectomy from Jan 2015 to Dec 2019 were retrospectively studied. The incidence and location of FND, and the relationships between FND and its risk factors (patients’ age, gender, course of disease, dura exposure, semicircular canal dehiscence, preoperative facial paralysis and sigmoid sinus exposure) in CSOM and cholesteatoma were analyzed using univariate and multivariate logistic linear regression analyses.ResultsThe total incidence of FND was 28.94% (294/1016), and the most common location was the horizontal segment (89.80%, 264/294). The incidences of FND in cholesteatoma and CSOM were 32.50% (222/683) and 21.62% (72/333) respectively, which had statistically significant difference (P=0.0003). Univariate analysis showed that pathologic type, dura exposure, preoperative facial paralysis, semicircular canal dehiscence, and sigmoid sinus exposure were related to FND, but course of disease,and patients’ age and gender had no significant correlation with FND. According to multivariate logistic linear regression analysis, female gender (OR=1.48, 95%CI: 1.109~1.980), cholesteatoma (OR=1.575, 95%CI: 1.141~2.176), semicircular canal dehiscence (OR=4.171, 95%CI: 2.579~6.746) and preoperative facial paralysis (OR=13.040, 95%CI: 2.793~60.872) were risk factors of FND.ConclusionFND may occur in both cholesteatoma and CSOM with the most common location of horizontal segment.Semicircular canal dehiscence, preoperative facial paralysis and cholesteatoma are risk factors of FND.