Umar Daraz Khan, Shabbir Hussain Shah, Fazle Raziq, Iftikhar Qayum.
Paraganglioma of the External Auditory Meatus.
J Ayub Med Coll Abottabad Jan ;12(2):33-4.

Author report here a case of Paraganglioma of the external auditory meatus, a rare site for the development of these tumors. The patient was a 35 years old female from district Batagram, Abbottabad, who came to the Surgical OPD of the DHQ Hospital, Mansehra, complaining of: Pain in the right ear 03 months, Hard of hearing 03 months and Giddiness 03 months. General physical examination and examination of the chest, heart and abdomen revealed no abnormalities. Local examination of the right ear showed a polypoid mass protruding from the external auditory meatus, which was soft to touch with probe. Routine investigations (e.g. Blood CP, Urine RE, BT, CT, PT, and Chest X-ray PA view) were normal.

Operative findings: Patient was operated upon under GA. A polypoid whitish soft mass was removed with forceps from the postero-superior wall of the external auditory meatus. The tympanic membrane was normal. Removal of the mass was followed by a gush of blood. The specimen was sent to Department of Patholoogy, Ayub Medical College, Abbottabad for histopathological diagnosis. Pathology: Gross examination revealed a soft polypoid mass, 1 cm in largest diameter. Microscopic examination showed a polypoid mass covered by stratified squamous epithelium and having a core of dense fibrovascular tissue. Areas of small and large thin-walled blood vessels were present along with haemorrhagic spots. Embedded in this stroma were nests of uniformly small rounded cells separated by thin fibrovascular septae. The cells composing the nests were having an eosinophilic cytoplasm and bland regular nuclei. There was no evidence of abnormal cellular morphology, invasion of neighbouring structures or of blood or lymphatic spaces. Special stains for chromaffin or argentaffin granules were negative. A diagnosis of Paraganglioma of the external auditory meatus (Jugulotympanic fossa) was made. The patient was discharged following the operation with complete resolution of symptoms, and to date (over 2 months) shows no evidence of recurrence or any ear problem.

PakMediNet -Pakistan's largest Database of Pakistani Medical Journals - http://www.pakmedinet.com