2016 Volume 109 Issue 7 Pages 475-481
Herein, we report the results of clinical evaluation and surgical treatment of a case of glomus tympanicum tumor. The patient was a 63-year-old woman who presented with a 2-year history of pulsatile tinnitus. Otoscopic examination revealed a reddish and pulsatile mass in the tympanic cavity, and the tumor was diagnosed as a glomus tympanicum tumor based on the otoscopic, CT and MRI findings. Preoperative embolization was performed, followed by complete resection of the tumor via a transcanal approach. On preoperative angiography, the inferior tympanic artery was identified as the lone feeding artery, and this artery was occluded with PVA embolization material. There were no complications after the preoperative embolization procedure, and the pulsatile tinnitus disappeared immediately after the embolization. The amount of bleeding was slight.
Electron-microscopic examination of the resected specimen revealed the presence of neuroendocrine vesicles in the tumor tissue suggestive of catecholamine production by the tumor.
