Dysontogenetic Dermoid of the Eustachian Tube

Pediatric dermoid cysts of the head and neck

“…Although an unusual presentation, the first case of a temporal bone dermoid cyst was reported in 1866 14 , 15 ,. Dermoid cysts have also been described at other sites in the temporal bone, including the middle ear 16 , mastoid process 16 , eustachian tube 17 , and petrous apex 18 ,. Otorrhea, hearing loss, middle ear mass, and serous effusion are the most common presenting complaints 19 ,.…”

Eustachian tube teratoma and its terminological correctness

“…Therefore, the number of these tumours arising from the eustachian tube into the nasopharynx may be larger. Others have been described in the eustachian tube alone (Pirodda, 1965;Nicklaus et al, 1991;Sade, 1994), and others have described these as growing into the middle ear from the eustachian tube, and only very few originated in the middle ear itself (Table II). This observation is in accordance with the fact that most extragonadal teratomas are usually axial or para-axial to a line from the brain to the saccral area (Ward and April, 1989).…”

Dermoid of the Eustachian Tube

“…Dermoids arising from the eustachian tube are a rare entity, with 12 cases described to date. [9][10][11][12][13] Although dermoids are considered benign developmental malformations, their location within the relatively inaccessible eustachian tube with resultant obstruction can cause significant morbidity. 15 Dermoids, or hairy polyps, are derived from both ectodermal and mesodermal elements and have a limited growth rate.…”

“…Approximately 7% of dermoids are found in the head and neck, with more than 80% of these located in the orbit, oral cavity, or nasal cavity 1 . Involvement of the temporal bone is uncommon, with only 30 cases reported in the literature 2–14 . Within the temporal bone, most dermoids are found in the middle ear space and mastoid.…”

“…Most cases required at least 2 separate operations to achieve total excision because of inadequate exposure at the time of initial exploration. [8][9][10]12,13 Preoperative imaging studies can suggest the diagnosis by demonstrating involvement of the tubal canal by a homogeneous, fat-density mass on CT, with a signal intensity corresponding to the signal intensity of fat on MRI. 13 Imaging studies should be obtained before surgery to guide the surgical approach by delineating the extent of disease and bony involvement and to demonstrate anatomic relationships to vital structures such as the internal carotid artery.…”