Multiple Osteomas of Eustachian Tube Causing Ipsilateral Otitis Media

Abstract

Background: Middle ear ventilation and the drainage of secretions are the basic functions of the eustachian tube. Eustachian tube (ET) dysfunction can lead to otitis media. Multiple causes of ET dysfunction exist; ET obstruction is one of them. Osseous obliteration of ET is quite rare. In the literature, there are two cases of solitary osteoma and a case of hamartoma with an osseous content in the ET. Herein, this report describes the case of a patient with multiple osseous lesions consistent with osteomas in the ET, causing ipsilateral otitis media with CT findings.

Case report: A 53-year-old woman presented with left-sided intermittent otalgia and otorrhea. Temporal bone computed tomography showed opacification of middle ear consistent with otitis media and nearly complete blockage of the left ET lumen with multiple osseous lesions wall probably consistent with osteomas on the left side.

Conclusion: There are limited data about the radiological features of ET osteoma due to its rare occurrence. Radiographically, external ear osteoma generally appears as a single pedunculated hyperdense mass on CT scan originating from the tympanosquamous or tympanomastoid suture line and extending into the auditory canal with otherwise preserved canal dimensions. Considering this information, osseous lesions arising from ET bone wall and extending into the lumen in the present case were considered as osteomas. Especially in the case of unilateral chronic otitis media, ET should not remain a neglected anatomical area.

Keywords: Temporal bone; chronic otitis media; computerized tomography; eustachian tube; middle ear; osteoma.