Serous Otitis Media Revealing Temporal En Plaque Meningioma

Abstract

Temporal en plaque meningioma involving the middle ear or mastoid can mimic a serous otitis media. A computed tomographic scan is recommended for cases of atypical or prolonged unilateral serous otitis media to investigate indirect signs of a meningioma, which has to be confirmed with magnetic resonance imaging.

Chronic Serous Otitis Media as a Manifestation of Temporal Meningioma

“…This provides a potential dilemma because first-line imaging of chronic serous otitis media is performed by CT without contrast injection [7] , by which detection of intracranial meningioma is much more difficult. Nevertheless, in accordance with others [5] , we feel that complementary imaging is indicated in patients with chronic unilateral serous otitis media not responding to conservative therapy or ventilation tube insertion, and in whom no signs of a nasopharyngeal tumor are found by fiberscopy.…”

“…These patients can present with therapy-resistant unilateral chronic serous otitis media. Considering the impact on the patient of the diagnosis, combined with a delay of 1-10 years between onset of ear complaints and disclosure of temporal meningioma described in the literature [5] , complementary imaging is indicated in patients with chronic serous otitis media without nasopharyngeal obstruction.…”

“…In these patients, unilateral chronic otitis media had also been the initial presentation [2][3][4] . Ayache et al [5] described a series of patients in whom the delay between the onset of symptoms suggesting serous otitis media and diagnosis of temporal meningioma ranged between 1 and 10 years. Before the diagnosis of meningioma was made, most of their patients underwent various medical treatments or surgical procedures for unilateral serous otitis media.…”

Otite séreuse de l’adulte

“…Cette triade est très évocatrice d'un ménin-giome temporal propagé au rocher et aux cavités de l'oreille moyenne et de la mastoïde [6]. L'opacité des cavités tympanomastoïdiennes peut correspondre à une rétention séreuse ou séromuqueuse ou à une infiltration méningiomateuse.…”

Skull base meningiomas mimicking otitis media

“…1 Less than 1 per cent of all meningiomas consist of primary extracranial tumours of the ear and temporal bone. 2 Intracranial meningiomas extending to the middleear cleft are uncommon, with fewer than 100 cases reported to date. 3 These patients usually present with hearing loss, tinnitus, dizziness, vertigo or facial nerve weakness.…”