A rare case of external ear canal stenosis caused by COVID-19-related arterial thrombosis

Abstract

Thrombosis is a characteristic symptom of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Here, we present a case of external ear stenosis caused by arterial thrombosis after COVID-19 infection. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of external ear stenosis related to COVID-19. A 62-year-old man presented with left hearing loss. The patient had a history of hospitalization for COVID-19 treatment 11 months prior to visiting our hospital. He had been experiencing ear fullness and tinnitus after COVID-19 treatment. Physical examination revealed severe left external ear canal stenosis with a subcutaneous mass. Surgical removal of the subcutaneous mass was performed. Histopathological analysis revealed that a subcutaneous thrombosis caused the external ear canal stenosis. This case describes an unusual case of external ear canal stenosis after COVID-19. Clinical and pathological findings indicate that COVID-19 affected the external ear canal. In addition, histopathological results confirmed the formation of arterial thrombosis in the temporal bone region after COVID-19 treatment. This case shows the broad range of body sites that can be involved with thrombotic events with COVID including the subcutaneous tissue around the outer ear. This observation would be helpful in investigating or explaining the various otological symptoms of COVID-19.