Original articles
A Case of Aberrant Internal Carotid Artery Running Within the Tympanic Cavity Causing Hearing Loss
2023 Volume 116 Issue 2 Pages 123-127
Details
2023 Volume 116 Issue 2 Pages 123-127
An aberrant internal carotid artery running within the tympanic cavity is a rare disease that is seen in about 1% of the population. Herein, I report a case of an aberrant internal carotid artery running within the tympanic cavity. The patient was a 73-year-old man who presented with pulsatile tinnitus, aural fullness, and hearing loss on the left ear. A mass in the left tympanic cavity could be recognized through the ear drum. Existence of an air-bone gap was confirmed on audiometry. CT examination revealed the aberrant internal carotid artery running within the tympanic cavity, which was considered to be pressing against the ear drum and malleus, causing the pulsatile tinnitus, aural fullness, and hearing loss. There is the possibility of massive bleeding, etc., with tympanostomy, and surgical treatment is necessary.
