Faculty Collaboration Database

Skull Base Deficiency in Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence (SSCD): Evidence for Incomplete Development. Otol Neurotol 2026 Sep 01;47(8):1039-1043

Date

04/06/2026

Pubmed ID

41941208

DOI

10.1097/MAO.0000000000004911

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-105047063110 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   1 Citation

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Determine whether Superior semicircular canal dehiscence (SSCD) patients have thinner skull bases compared with controls and spontaneous cerebrospinal fluid leak (sCSFL) patients.

STUDY DESIGN: Case control.

SETTING: Tertiary referral center.

PATIENTS: Radiographically confirmed SSCD, temporal bone sCSFL, matched (BMI and age), and unmatched control cohorts.

INTERVENTION: Measurement of calvarium, zygomatic arch, and lateral skull base thickness.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Compare BMI, average skull base, calvarial, and zygomatic arch thicknesses of controls and sCSFL patients.

RESULTS: SSCD patients have an average [SD] BMI similar to unmatched controls (29.2 [7.7] vs. 31.4 [7.9] kg/m 2 , P =0.18), but significantly lower BMI than sCSFL patients (29.2 [7.7] vs. 38.5 [10.6] kg/m 2 , P <0.001). The average skull base thickness of SSCD patients was 50% thinner than matched control patients (2.12 [0.92] vs. 4.23 [1.13] mm, P <0.001, Cohen d =2.05) and 33% thinner than sCSFL patients (2.12 [0.92] vs. 3.13 [1.46] mm, P <0.001, Cohen d =0.83). No significant difference in skull base thickness was observed between symptomatic and asymptomatic SSCD patients ( P =0.45). SSCD patients had a small yet significantly reduced calvarium to zygomatic arch thickness ratio compared with controls (0.44 [0.09] vs. 0.51 [0.11], P <0.001, Cohen d =0.70), but not sCSFL patients (0.44 [0.09] vs. 0.47 [0.12], P =0.09).

CONCLUSIONS: SSCD patients possess dramatically thinner skull bases than control and sCSFL patients, despite a lack of predisposing factors like obesity. These data implicate a developmental deficiency in the pathophysiology of SSCD.

Author List

Schneider WR, Totten DJ, Elms HL, Graner BD, Yates CW, Cumpston EC, Nelson RF

Author

Hunter L. Elms BS, MD Assistant Professor in the Otolaryngology and Communication Sciences department at Medical College of Wisconsin

MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Adult
Aged
Body Mass Index
Case-Control Studies
Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak
Female
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Semicircular Canals
Skull Base
Temporal Bone
Tomography, X-Ray Computed