A Case of Spontaneous Temporomandibular Joint Herniation into the External Auditory Canal / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Bony defects of the external auditory canal (EAC) may arise from a tumor, infection, inflammation, trauma, complications from ear surgery, or congenital disease. Congenital bony defects of the EAC are known as a patent Huschke's foramen. Here, we describe a 76-year-old male patient who presented an otalgia in his right ear. Physical examination revealed a dome shaped swelling of the anterior EAC wall, which repeated swelling and retraction as the patient's mouth closed and opened. Computed tomography revealed a bony defect of the anterior EAC wall. We believe that the patent Huschke's foramen allowed spontaneous herniation of the temporomandibular joint into the EAC.