Roentgenographic evaluation of temporal bones from South Dakota Indian burials

Abstract

Abstract To complement a previous study relating to ear disease in temporal bones from South Dakota Indian burials, radiographs were made looking for altered mastoid development suggesting the presence of infections during the period of their growth. Infection has been implicated as a causative, accentuating, or precipitating factor in the disease otosclerosis. Theories relating to the development of the mastoids are discussed and a pertinent bibliography is presented. In total 417 temporal bones were examined. Of these 251 representing 130 individuals were from Arikara burials, and 166 representing 91 individuals, were from Middle Plains Woodland people, Sioux Historic, and other miscellaneous burials. One hundred eleven Arikara temporal bones (44%) showed evidence of altered pneumatization (diploic‐10, sclerotic‐13, mixed‐88), while 86 other culture temporal bones (51.8%) demonstrated similar changes (diploic‐4, sclerotic‐13, mixed‐69). Unilateral and bilateral variable air cell patterns were found. There was no age, sex, or ear lateralization of air cell patterns. No evidence of the effect of cholesteatoma, cancer, surgery, or other bone disease was found. These findings suggest that the people represented by these skulls must have had a significant amount of infectious middle ear disease during the period of the development of their mastoids.

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