Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t7czq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T03:17:31.662Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

External auditory canal paraganglioma: an atypical presentation

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 October 2012

N Grover ,
F Amen ,
A Gallimore  and
G Brookes
N Grover*
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, London, UK
F Amen
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, London, UK
A Gallimore
Affiliation:
Department of Histopathology, University College London Hospital, London, UK
G Brookes
Affiliation:
ENT Department, Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital, London, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Ms Nancy Grover, Department of ENT, Whipps Cross Hospital, London E11 1NR, UK E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Objective:

We present the first published description of a painful paraganglioma of the external auditory canal. Atypical histopathology made the diagnosis difficult. We discuss the potential pitfalls of clinical diagnosis and treatment of such a case.

Clinical presentation:

A 49-year-old woman presented with left-sided otalgia, hearing loss and tinnitus. Physical examination revealed a firm swelling arising from the superior portion of the left external auditory canal. A clinical diagnosis of otitis externa was made.

Intervention:

There was minimal response to medical treatment. The swelling was aspirated, leading to brisk bleeding. A tumour was suspected from the computed tomography scan, and confirmed by a biopsy. The patient underwent excision of the paraganglioma. The histopathology was atypical, making diagnosis difficult.

Conclusion:

Such unusual masses of the external ear should always be borne in mind, especially when dealing with atypical presentations of commonly encountered diseases. Clinicians should have a low threshold for early intervention with imaging and biopsy.

Keywords

ParagangliomaEar CanalOtitis Externa
Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 126 , Issue 12 , December 2012 , pp. 1278 - 1280
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

1Suárez, C, Sevilla, MA, Llorente, JL. Temporal paragangliomas. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2007;264:719–31CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
2Singh, KB, Hanna, GS, Dinnen, JS. Paraganglioma of the external auditory canal. J Laryngol Otol 1993;107:228–9CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
3Skinner, LJ, Curran, AJ, Barnes, C, Timon, CI. Paraganglioma of the external auditory canal: an unusual case. J Laryngol Otol 2000;114:370–2CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4Hyams, VJ, Batsakis, JG, Michaels, L. Tumours of the Upper Respiratory Tract and Ear. Washington DC: Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, 1988;306–10Google Scholar
5Gulya, AJ. Glomus tumor and its biology. Laryngoscope 1993;103(suppl 60):7–15CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6Ali, S, Aird, W, Bihari, J. Pain-inducing laryngeal paragangliomas. J Laryngol Otol 1983;97:181–8CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7Spector, GJ, Ciralsky, R, Maisel, RH, Ogura, JH. Multiple glomus tumors in the head and neck. Laryngoscope 1975;95:1066–75CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8Hodge, K, Byers, RM, Peters, LJ. Paragangliomas of the head and neck. Arch Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 1988;114:872–7CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed