Clinicopathology of Middle Ear Tumours: A Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Care Hospital, Hyderabad, India

Abstract

Introduction: Middle ear tumours are rare neoplasms that have nonspecific clinical presentation, otoscopic and imaging features and pose a diagnostic challenge. Most common neoplasm of middle ear are paraganglioma, schwannoma, haemangioma and middle ear adenoma. Aim: To analyse the relative incidence, clinical presentation and histopathological spectrum of neoplasms in the middle ear at a tertiary care hospital, Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Materials and Methods: This retrospective study was conducted in Department of Pathology at Government ENT Hospital (tertiary referral ENT Hospital), Hyderabad, Telangana, India, from July 2014 to June 2019. Total 26 cases of middle ear tumours both incisional or excisional biopsies of middle ear lesions from all age group both males and females with complete clinical details were included in the study. Clinical and histopathological data were analysed after processing the sections with Hematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) stains examined microscopically. Statistical analysis was done using Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) version 20.0 and mean, standard deviation and percentages were calculated. Results: In the present study, maximum patients 11 (42.3%) were in age group of 41 to 50 years with female preponderance 18 (69%). Mean age of the patients was 42.92±12.53 years. Out of a total of 26 cases, 20 cases were benign neoplasms and six cases were malignant. Most common side of presentation was right side. Most of the benign tumours occurred in the 5th decade and malignant tumours were common in the 6th decade. Paragangliomas/Glomustympanicum tumours were most common benign tumours followed by schwannoma, haemangioma and middle ear adenoma. Whereas among malignant tumour , squamous cell carcinoma was common. Conclusion: Middle ear tumours are relatively uncommon lesions presenting as mass in the ear, discharge, hearing loss, tinnitus and chronic suppurative otitis media. Benign tumours are more common than malignant tumours in the middle ear. Paraganglioma was the most common benign tumour encountered, followed by schwannomas, middle ear adenomas and haemangiomas. Middle ear tumours are rare and histologic analysis is essential for definitive diagnosis and treatment.