No abstract

Seven patients with tumors of the glomus jugulare and/or glomus tympanicum —6 treated initially by radical endaural mastoidectomy and one by simple excision—are presented. Clinical, pathologic and therapeutic data are compared with cases in the world literature. The cases are divided into 2 groups: (1) extensive lesions in which bone erosion is demonstrated radiographically and/or cranial nerves other than VII are affected and (2) limited lesions where these were not present. Statistical analysis indicated that surgical ablation was significantly superior to irradiation in the limited lesion group; there was no significant difference in the extensive lesion group. The authors conclude that adequate radical surgical removal is the treatment of choice for both the limited and extensive lesions. This usually can be accomplished if appropriate otologic and neurosurgical techniques are employed. Irradiation therapy should be reserved for patients who cannot tolerate radical surgery and to whom only palliation can be offered.