Neuroendocrine adenoma of the middle ear presented as paragaglioma: a case report

• Published in: Hippokratia Vol. 21; no. 4; pp. 201 - 203
• Main Authors: Tsiouvaka, S, Papadopoulou, I, Lachanas, V, Koltsidopoulos, P, Skoulakis, C
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: 01.10.2017
• ISSN: 1108-4189

BACKGROUNDNeuroendocrine adenoma of the middle ear (NAME) is a rare benign glandular tumor with neuroendocrine differentiation arising from the middle ear mucosa. The common symptoms and clinical findings of this tumor are usually non-specific. When the tumor appears as a reddish retrotympanic mass, it can be misdiagnosed to be a paraganglioma. CASE DESCRIPTIONA 38-year-old male presented with a 12-month history of left ear ​​fullness and tinnitus. Otoscopy revealed a reddish retrotympanic mass with an intact tympanic membrane. The imaging demonstrated a soft tissue mass adjacent to the eardrum and the ossicles, compatible with a paraganglioma. The mass was surgically removed through a posterior tympanotomy. The histological and immunohistochemical examination showed the specimen to be a neuroendocrine adenoma. Four years after the operation, the patient remains without any sign of recurrence. CONCLUSIONNAME is a rare tumor, mimicking tympanic paraganglioma, while its final diagnosis is only provided by histological and immunohistochemical analysis. HIPPOKRATIA 2017, 21(4): 201-203.