Published online Sep 16, 2014. doi: 10.12998/wjcc.v2.i9.463
Revised: May 23, 2014
Accepted: June 18, 2014
Published online: September 16, 2014
Processing time: 168 Days and 14.8 Hours
The objective of this study is to increase awareness of the rare presentation, diagnostic difficulties and management of glomus tympanicum of the middle ear. A 49 years old male, with a background of hypertension and epilepsy, presented with a two month history of left sided conductive hearing loss, pulsatile tinnitus and headache. Clinically and radiologically a diagnosis of glomus tympanicum was made. Intraoperatively, extensive osteogenesis of the middle ear resulting in ossicular fixation and erosion was found. This patient required a two stage operation for full clearance of disease. A stapedectomy drill was used to drill off the bony overgrowth surrounding the ossicles resulting in improved hearing thresholds and full clearance of the disease at two year follow up. Glomus tympanicum can result in new bone formation in the middle ear with resultant ossicular fixation and conductive hearing loss. This can be effectively treated surgically with restoration of hearing.
Core tip: Glomus tympanicum can result in new bone formation in the middle ear with resultant ossicular fixation and conductive hearing loss. This can be effectively treated surgically with restoration of hearing. We describe this previously unreported presentation of glomus tympanicum in the world literature (with reactive osteogenesis and resultant severe conductive hearing loss). We therefore believe our findings would be of interest to the readers of your journal and raise awareness of this as a differential diagnosis which may be under-recognised.