Otalgia. An isolated symptom of malignant infratemporal tumors.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to review a series of 18 patients with malignant infratemporal fossa tumors who presented with otalgia as the primary symptom.

STUDY

DESIGN

This was a retrospective case analysis.

SETTING

All patients were evaluated and treated at a tertiary care academic medical institution.

PATIENTS: Eighteen patients evaluated for otalgia in a normal-appearing ear, between July 1988 and July 1996, who were found to have a malignant infratemporal fossa tumor participated.

INTERVENTIONS: Diagnostic testing included radiographic evaluations and tissue sampling through fine-needle aspiration cytology. Treatment methods were histology dependent.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: The time between the onset of otalgia and the tumor diagnosis was recorded. Overall treatment outcomes were reviewed.

RESULTS

The period between the onset of otalgia and tumor diagnosis ranged from 4-21 months with a mean of 7.5 months. Adenoid cystic carcinoma was the most commonly seen tumor in this series of patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The infratemporal fossa is a relatively protected region that may be the site of malignant neoplasms causing the isolated symptom of otalgia.