MyMedR

Intradermal Naevi of External Auditory Canal: Unusual location with a unique presentation

Yatiee SL, Mohd Khairi MD, Md Salzihan MS, Ikmal HB

Med J Malaysia, 2018 04;73(2):121-122.

The incidence of intradermal nevus in the external auditory canal is uncommon. We herein are describing a case of 60-year-old lady who presented with foreign body sensation in the right external ear canal (EAC) with mild discomfort and ear bleed during ear picking. Otoscopic examination revealed hyperpigmented mass on the floor of the outer two third of EAC. Complete excisional biopsy of the mass resulted in histopathology findings of intradermal nevus. Despite the fact that the disease is not alarming, the possibilities of benign melanocytic nevi transformation into malignant lesions such as melanoma need to be ruled out.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

Rare embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of external acoustic canal: a case report and literature review

Eksan MS, Noorizan Y, Chew YK, Noorafidah MD, Asma A

Am J Otolaryngol, 2014 Nov-Dec;35(6):814-5.

PMID: 25128187 DOI: 10.1016/j.amjoto.2014.07.009

Embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of external ear canal is very rare, even in the pediatric population. We report an embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma of external acoustic canal, occurring in a 12-year-old Chinese girl who presented with left ear canal mass. Wide local excision of the mass was done under local anesthesia. Histopathological examination revealed the diagnosis. She then underwent 20 cycles of radiotherapy. CECT scan post treatment showed clearance of tumor cell. Now, patient is disease free for 5 years. We believe that early diagnosis followed by complete resection of the tumor with clear margin and radiotherapy improves the prognosis of the disease.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal*

Study of epithelial migration in the tympanic membrane and bony external auditory canal wall in patients with irradiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma

Santhi K, Prepageran N, Tang IP, Raman R

Otol Neurotol, 2015 Feb;36(2):318-22.

PMID: 24751743 DOI: 10.1097/MAO.0000000000000378

The objectives of this study were to determine the presence of epithelial migration in patients with postirradiated nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) and to compare the rate of epithelial migration in the tympanic membrane (TM) and the bony external auditory canal (EAC) of postirradiated NPC ears with normal ears by means of the ink dot method.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/pathology*

Grommet insertion using a branula

Raman R, Rahmat O

J Laryngol Otol, 2008 Jul;122(7):735-6.

PMID: 18346289 DOI: 10.1017/S0022215108001928

To develop an easy method of performing myringotomy and grommet insertion, using minimal instruments.
Methods: An ear speculum and a branula were used.
Results: This method was found to be useful.
Conclusion: An easy method of performing myringotomy and grommet insertion is proposed.
Key words: Middle Ear Ventilation; Grommet Insertion; Otitis Media With Effusion

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/physiology

Role of impacted cerumen in hearing loss

Subha ST, Raman R

Ear Nose Throat J, 2006 Oct;85(10):650, 652-3.

PMID: 17124935

We performed a study to determine if cerumen in the ear canal causes significant hearing loss and to ascertain if there is any correlation between the amount of cerumen and the degree of hearing loss. Our study was conducted on 109 ears in 80 patients. The results indicated that impacted cerumen does cause a significant degree of conductive hearing loss. We found no significant correlation between the length of the cerumen plug and the severity of hearing loss. Nor did we find any significant correlation between the presence of impacted cerumen and variables such as age, sex, ethnicity, or affected side.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/pathology*

Fulltext Cotton bud and ear cleaning--a loose tip cotton bud?

Lee LM, Govindaraju R, Hon SK

Med J Malaysia, 2005 Mar;60(1):85-8.

PMID: 16250286

Complications that arise from self-cleaning the external ear canal are common. This is a prospective study using standard questionnaire on the practice of ear cleaning in 50 subjects. A loose tip cotton bud was also shown to them to assess if it was acceptable to replace their current cotton bud. Thirty six percent of them clean their ears by introducing an object into the ear canal once or more a day. The commonest reason to clean the ears was the presence of earwax. Only 6% used a cotton bud to mop fluid from the ear canal. Almost all (92%) the subjects used a cotton bud to clean the ear. A complication rate of 2% was noted. A loose tip cotton swab was shown to the subjects. Despite explaining that it is safer and better, only 24% of the subject were willing to change to this loose tip cotton bud. Seventy four percent of the subjects cleaned their ear regularly because of earwax. The misconception of needing to clean the ear canal by introducing an object into the ear is rampant. This practice should be avoided and health care providers can play an important role in this.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal*

Fulltext Keratosis obturans complicated with facial nerve palsy: a diagnostic dilemma

Saniasiaya J, Nik Othman NA, Mohamad Pakarul Razy NH

Braz J Otorhinolaryngol, 2016 05 24;86(1):130-132.

PMID: 27269254 DOI: 10.1016/j.bjorl.2016.04.012

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/pathology

Relevance of Whitnall's tubercle and auditory meatus in diagnosing exclusions during skull-photo superimposition

Jayaprakash PT, Hashim N, Yusop RA

Forensic Sci Int, 2015 Aug;253:131.e1-10.

PMID: 26103927 DOI: 10.1016/j.forsciint.2015.04.026

Video vision mixer based skull-photo superimposition is a popular method for identifying skulls retrieved from unidentified human remains. A report on the reliability of the superimposition method suggested increased failure rates of 17.3 to 32% to exclude and 15 to 20% to include skulls while using related and unrelated face photographs. Such raise in failures prompted an analysis of the methods employed for the research. The protocols adopted for assessing the reliability are seen to vary from those suggested by the practitioners in the field. The former include overlaying the skull- and face-images on the basis of morphology by relying on anthropometric landmarks on the front plane of the face-images and evaluating the goodness of match depending on mix-mode images; the latter consist of orienting the skull considering landmarks on both the eye and ear planes of the face- and skull-images and evaluating the match utilizing images seen in wipe-mode in addition to those in mix-mode. Superimposition of a skull with face-images of five living individuals in two sets of experiments, one following the procedure described for the research on reliability and the other applying the methods suggested by the practitioners has shown that overlaying the images on the basis of morphology depending on the landmarks on the front plane alone and assessing the match in mix-mode fails to exclude the skull. However, orienting the skull relying on the relationship between the anatomical landmarks on the skull- and face-images such as Whitnall's tubercle and exocanthus in the front (eye) plane and the porion and tragus in the rear (ear) plane as well as assessing the match using wipe-mode images enables excluding that skull while superimposing with the same set of face-images.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/anatomy & histology*

Human otoacariasis

Indudharan R, Ahamad M, Ho TM, Salim R, Htun YN

Ann Trop Med Parasitol, 1999 Mar;93(2):163-7.

PMID: 10474641

Accidental entry of insects and other arthropods is a common aetiology of aural foreign bodies (FB) presenting to accident and emergency departments. A retrospective study revealed that the FB in almost half (148) of 348 cases of aural FB investigated at the Universiti Sains Malaysia Hospital was an arthropod. The most common arthropod encountered was the cockroach, followed by a cattle tick. The high prevalence of tick infestation of the human ear canal (i.e. human otoacariasis) currently appears to be unique to the Malaysian state of Kelantan. The presentation of patients with intra-aural ticks, the methods used to remove the ticks, the complications encountered, and recommendations for an appropriate course of action in such cases are discussed.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/parasitology*

Fulltext Bilateral microtia, canal atresia and aplasia of cochleovestibular nerve

Asma A, Roslenda AR, Fadzilah I, Mazita A, Marina MB, Ab Aziz A

Med J Malaysia, 2017 04;72(2):135-137.

PMID: 28473682 MyJurnal

A six-month-old baby with congenital patent ductus arteriosus (PDA), bilateral microtia and canal atresia was referred for hearing assessment. The audiology assessment revealed bilateral profound hearing loss, which is atypical for a case of pure canal atresia. Imaging was performed much earlier than usual and, as suspected, the patient also had bilateral severe inner ear anomaly. It is extremely rare for a person to have both external and inner ear anomaly because of the different embryological origin. The only suitable hearing rehabilitation option for this kind of patients is brainstem implant. However, the parents had opted for sign language as a form of communication.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/abnormalities*

Fulltext Tympanometric values in young Malay adults: preliminary data

Wahab NA, Rashid MF

Singapore Med J, 2009 Nov;50(11):1077-9.

PMID: 19960163

INTRODUCTION: The present study aimed to obtain preliminary tympanometric data of young Malay adults and to compare the results between genders.
METHODS: 96 undergraduate students (49 males and 47 females), aged 19-25 (mean and standard deviation 21.14 +/- 1.31) years, participated in this study. Otoscopic examination, pure tone audiometry, qualitative tympanogram and ipsilateral acoustic reflex were measured to ensure a clear ear canal, normal hearing and normal middle ear function, prior to tympanometric measurement. As a result, a total of 154 ears (80 ears from males and 74 ears from females) were selected for further statistical analyses. The tympanometric parameters measured were peak compensated static acoustic admittance (Peak Y(tm)), tympanometric width (TW) and equivalent ear canal volume (V(ea)).
RESULTS: The results showed that the mean Peak Y(tm), V(ea) and TW for males were 0.81 mmhos, 1.48 cubic cm and 113.67 daPa, respectively. The mean Peak Y(tm), V(ea) and TW for females were 0.63 mmhos, 1.12 cubic cm and 98.04 daPa, respectively. Males were found to have significantly higher mean V(ea) and mean Peak Y(tm) than females. However no significant gender difference was observed in the mean TW.
CONCLUSION: The current study suggests that young Malay adults may require gender-specific Peak Y(tm) and V(ea) values when implementing a quantitative approach in tympanogram interpretation.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/pathology

Cholesteatoma in patients with congenital external auditory canal anomalies: retrospective review

Mazita A, Zabri M, Aneeza WH, Asma A, Saim L

J Laryngol Otol, 2011 Nov;125(11):1116-20.

PMID: 21846418 DOI: 10.1017/S0022215111002052

To review cases of congenital external auditory canal anomaly with cholesteatoma, documenting clinical presentation, cholesteatoma site and extent, complications, and surgery.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal/abnormalities*; Ear Canal/radiography; Ear Canal/surgery

Fulltext Endaural approach of external auditory canal osteoma: report of two cases

Che Mohd Hilmi Che Mat1, Zulkiflee Salahuddin, Nik Azrizie Muhamed, Irfan Mohamad

Journal of Clinical and Health Sciences, 2021;6(1):53-57.

MyJurnal

Osteomas occur in all parts of the temporal bone, including the mastoid, squamous, middle
ear, styloid process, internal auditory canal and external auditory canal (EAC). The EAC has
been reported to be the most common site, followed by the mastoid and squamous parts.
Diagnosis is made based on history, clinical examination and radiological findings. Computed
tomography reveals a pedunculated hyperdense mass that usually arises from the
tympanosquamous suture. Surgical removal of EAC osteomas can be achieved using the
endaural or postauricular approaches. It can be performed with a drill or osteotome, either
endoscopically or by using microscopy. This report presents two patients with EAC osteomas
who underwent excision under microscopy using the endaural approach. Surgery is the gold
standard treatment, while close observation may be considered in asymptomatic patients.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

Zygomatic root abscess: A rare entity not to be forgotten!

Hong CX, Razuan NA, Alias A, Hassan FH, Nasseri Z

Auris Nasus Larynx, 2021 Aug;48(4):788-792.

PMID: 32513602 DOI: 10.1016/j.anl.2020.05.007

Zygomatic root abscess is a rare extracranial extratemporal complication of otitis media. To the best of our knowledge, there are only a few scattered cases of zygomatic root abscesses reported in the literature. We present an unusual case of a zygomatic root abscess in a 24 years old adult. He presented with one month duration of right zygomatic swelling. Otoscopic examination revealed superior and posterior external auditory canal wall sagging with an intact tympanic membrane. High Resolution Computed Tomography (HRCT) temporal bone revealed a rim enhancing lesion lateral to the zygomatic process with fluid filled mastoid air cells. He was managed with antibiotics and staged surgical interventions. He recovered well. Our case serves to shed light on the pathways of infection, clinical manifestations and timely staged surgical intervention in this rare pathology.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

First record of Megaselia scalaris (LOEW) (DIPTERA: PHORIDAE) infesting a spinose ear tick, Otobius megnini, colony in Sri Lanka

Diyes GCP, Karunaratne WAIP, Tomberlin JK, Rajakaruna RS

Trop Biomed, 2015 Dec 01;32(4):791-795.

PMID: 33557472

Megaselia scalaris (Loew) is a cosmopolitan polyphagous small fly with the ability of exploiting variety of ecological niches. Different life history stages act as detritivore, parasite, and parasitoid of wider spectrum of plant and animal matter under natural and laboratory conditions. Here, for the first time we present the opportunistic parasitism of M. scalaris on Otobius megnini, which act as a vector of Q fever and is capable of causing paralysis, toxic conditions, otoacariasis and otitis in humans and other animals. Tick samples from the ear canals of 14 thoroughbred horses were brought to the laboratory and several days later, larvae of M. scalaris were found feeding on immature stages of O. megnini. When the development was completed pupae were found attached to adult ticks and all nymphs were found dead. This context reveals the capability of M. scalaris surviving on O. megnini and the risk of their invading ear canals of horses.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

Fulltext The Role of Occlusion of the External Ear Canal in Hearing Loss

Narayanan DA, Raman R, Chong AW

Turk Arch Otorhinolaryngol, 2019 Sep;57(3):122-126.

PMID: 31620693 DOI: 10.5152/tao.2019.3875

Objective: The objectives are to determine and compare the degrees of hearing loss upon occlusion of the cartilaginous and the bony portion of the external ear canal (EAC).

Methods: There were 20 healthy participants with normal ears, and all gave an informed consent. After an otoscopy, a baseline pure tone audiogram (PTA) was conducted. If the PTA of the participant was normal, aqueous cream was applied with a syringe via an 18 G cannula, from the tympanic membrane up to the isthmus which corresponds to the bony ear canal. A second PTA was conducted, and subsequently the cream was removed via suction under microscope guidance. The procedure was then repeated with the cream applied from the isthmus to the aperture of the external ear canal using the same cannula followed by a PTA and removal of cream under microscope.

Results: The mean threshold difference of occlusion at both portions of the ear canal were compared and analyzed. The mean threshold difference of hearing loss upon occlusion at the cartilaginous EAC was 37.5 to 48 dB. The mean threshold difference of hearing loss upon occlusion at the bony EAC was less, with a range of 21 to 24.95dB. There was a statistical difference (p<0.05) in the hearing loss between the blockage of the cartilaginous canal versus the blockage of the bony canal with a maximum difference at 2kHz.

Conclusion: Cartilaginous block of the external ear canal causes more hearing loss than block of the bony ear canal. This correlates with the concept and properties of sound waves, resonance and impedance.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

Fulltext Rare case of temporal bone carcinoma with intracranial extension

Kasim KS, Abdullah AB

Indian J Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg, 2012 Dec;64(4):397-8.

PMID: 24294589 DOI: 10.1007/s12070-011-0250-6

Temporal bone cancer, a relatively rare disease, accounting for less than 0.2% of all tumors of the head and neck and is associated with a poor outcome; often presents in a subtle manner, which may delay diagnosis. It should be suspected in any case of persistent otitis media or otitis externa that fails to improve with adequate treatment. Despite advances in operative technique and postoperative care, long-term survival remains poor). It includes cancers arising from pinna that spreads to the temporal bone, primary tumors of the external auditory canal (EAC), middle ear, mastoid, petrous apex, and metastatic lesions to the temporal bone. Here is a report on a case of temporal bone carcinoma presenting with right otalgia, otorrhea and facial paralysis. The patient was initially diagnosed as mastoiditis and later the clinical impression was revised to temporal bone carcinoma (undifferentiated type), based on the pathologic findings.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

Fulltext Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma - Penang experience

Ng SY, Pua KC, Zahirrudin Z

Med J Malaysia, 2015 Dec;70(6):367-8.

PMID: 26988214 MyJurnal

Temporal bone squamous cell carcinoma (TBSCC) is rare and poses difficulties in diagnosing, staging and management. We describe a case series with six patients who were diagnosed TBSCC, from January 2009 to June 2014, with median age of 62 years old. All patients presented with blood-stain discharge and external auditory canal mass, showing that these findings should highly alert the diagnosis of TBSCC. Three patients staged T3 and another three with T4 disease. High-resolution CT (HRCT) temporal findings were noted to be different from intraoperative findings and therefore we conclude that MRI should be done to look for middle ear involvement or other soft tissue invasion for more accurate staging. Lateral temporal bone resection (LTBR) and parotidectomy was done for four patients with or without neck dissection. Patients with positive margin, perineural invasion or parotid and glenoid involvement carry poorer prognosis and postoperative radiotherapy may improve the survival rate. One patient had successful tumor resection via piecemeal removal approach in contrast with the recommended en bloc resection shows that with negative margin achieved, piecemeal removal approach can be a good option for patients with T2-3 disease. In general, T4 tumor has dismal outcome regardless of surgery or radiotherapy given.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

An unusual differential diagnosis of myringitis bullosa haemorrhagica

Indudharan R, Dharap AS, Htun YN

Trop Geogr Med, 1995;47(5):227-8.

PMID: 8553451

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

Fulltext Aural Polyp or Temporal Bone Carcinoma: Lesson to Learn

Mahmud KA, Nasseri Z, Mohamed Mukari SA, Ismail F, Abdullah A

Cureus, 2021 Mar 01;13(3):e13629.

PMID: 33816028 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.13629

Temporal bone carcinoma is a rare malignant tumor of the head and neck region. Its clinical presentations can mimic benign ear diseases, leading to inaccurate diagnosis and substandard management. We present the case of a 53-year-old female with a three-month history of progressive right otalgia, otorrhea, and hearing loss. Otoscopic examination revealed a mass occupying the right external auditory canal. However, the lesion was presumed to be an aural polyp by several clinicians previously. Multiple courses of oral antibiotics had been prescribed before she was referred to our clinic for the non-resolving aural polyp. Imaging studies showed an external auditory canal soft tissue mass with extradural and parotid extension. The mass was biopsied, and the result was reported as squamous cell carcinoma of the temporal bone. The patient was advised for a total temporal bone resection and parotidectomy; however, she declined the surgical intervention. Within a month, the tumor had metastasized to her lung, liver, and vertebral bodies. She was referred to the Oncology team for palliative chemo-radiotherapy. Temporal bone malignancy must be considered as a differential diagnosis in a middle-aged or elderly patient with a non-resolving aural polyp without a chronic discharging ear. Imaging studies and histopathological evaluation should be prompted to ascertain the diagnosis. Repeated course of oral antibiotic will delay treatment and subsequently may lead to poor prognosis.

Matched MeSH terms: Ear Canal

Displaying publications 21 - 40 of 44 in total