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Surgical management of external auditory canal lesions

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 January 2013

P M Spielmann
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK
S McKean
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK
R D White
Affiliation:
Department of Radiology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK
S S M Hussain*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, UK
*
Address for correspondence: Mr S S Musheer Hussain, Consultant Otologist and Neurologist, Department of Otolaryngology, Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee DD1 9SY, Scotland, UK Fax: +44 (0)1382 632816 E-mail: musheer.hussain@nhs.net

Abstract

Background:

Lesions arising in the external auditory canal that require surgical excision are uncommon. They are associated with a range of pathologies, including bony abnormalities, infections, benign and malignant neoplasms, and epithelial disorders.

Methods:

This paper describes a 10-year personal case series of external auditory canal lesions with chart, imaging and histopathology review.

Results:

In total, 48 lesions required surgical management, consisting of: 13 bony lesions; 14 infective lesions; 14 neoplasms with 11 histological types (including ceruminous adenoma and the extremely rare cavernous haemangioma); 3 epithelial abnormalities; and 4 other benign lesions. The surgical management is described.

Conclusion:

This study emphasises the diagnostic differences between exostoses and osteomas, and between external auditory canal cholesteatoma and keratosis obturans. It also discusses the management of aural polyps, and highlights the need to excise external auditory canal masses for histology in order to guide subsequent treatment.

Type
Main Articles
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2013

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