Carcinoid Tumor of the Middle Ear: A Report of Two Cases.

Abstract

Background: Carcinoid tumors of the middle ear are rare and difficult to diagnose preoperatively. These low-grade malignant tumors require complete surgical removal; however, consensus on the amount of radicality required is lacking. Herein, we report two cases of carcinoid tumors of the middle ear.

Case presentation: The first patient was a 40-year-old woman who presented with right-sided hearing loss and a white mass behind the tympanic membrane. The tumor was surgically removed using a transcanal approach, while maintaining an intact ossicular chain. The histopathological diagnosis was carcinoid tumor, and no additional treatment was administered. The second patient was a 28-year-old woman who presented with left-sided hearing loss and a white mass in the ear canal. Preoperative biopsy revealed a carcinoid tumor. The tumor was excised using the same approach as in Case 1 with tentative removal of the incus during surgery, and reconstruction with tympanoplasty type IIIc (Ost) was performed. No recurrence was observed in either case during > 3 years of follow-up.

Conclusion: Treatment algorithms for carcinoid tumor of the middle ear are lacking; therefore, surgical plans vary according to the tumor extension. Furthermore, because carcinoid tumors are low-grade malignant tumors, long-term follow-up after complete macroscopic removal is necessary.