Temporal bone paraganglioma

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to describe the diagnosissurgical management and outcomes of eight patients with bone paraganglioma.PATIENTS A series of 8 patients with temporal bone paraganglioma were seen over a 10-year period and operated n by the senior author.RESULTS: The majority of patients presented with hearing loss and pulsatile tinnitus. Other symptoms were facial numbness, facial asymmetry, dizziness, hoarseness, and dysphagia. All patients had pre-operative high resolution computed temography (HRCT) scan and/or magnetic resonance imaging. Pre-operative angiography and embolization facilitated the excision of these tumors in all but one case. There was reversal of pre-existent cranial nerve neuropathy in 3 of 8 cases. Unique to this series were the management of a patient who previously underwent gamma knife radiosurgery, one case in whom the glomus tumor grew from the better hearing ear thus posing the surgical management challenges and a complicated case of postoperative necrosis that required latissimus dorsi flap reconstruction. Other complications were described including post-operative facial paresis which eventually resolved in all patients.CONCLUSION: In our setting, it is possible to achieve good result with acceptable morbidity with surgery with or without postoperative radiotherapy.