Clinical characteristics of benign congenital Middle-ear neoplasms in young children aged 0-30 months: a retrospective study.

BACKGROUND

Pediatric benign middle-ear lesions are rare, with diagnostic delays or errors being common.

AIM/

OBJECTIVES

To analyze clinical characteristics of benign congenital middle-ear neoplasms in children.

MATERIALS AND

METHODS

In this retrospective study, we reviewed the clinical data of children with benign middle-ear neoplasms and assessed reasons for initial consultations, audiometry, lesion extent, surgical plans, complications, and prognosis.

RESULTS

All nine included patients (two boys and seven girls) with confirmed diagnoses presented with moderate-to-severe conductive hearing loss. All patients underwent middle-ear neoplasm resection and tympanoplasty, revealing varying degrees of ossicular chain destruction intraoperatively. Neoplasms originated from the Eustachian tube and tympanic cavity in four and five patients, respectively. Postoperative pathology identified mature teratomas, kaposiform haemangioendotheliomas, hairy polyps, and choristomas in four, one, two, and two patients, respectively. No recurrences were observed at the 1-year follow-up. One patient experienced postoperative peripheral facial paralysis, which improved after facial-nerve decompression (House-Brackmann grade IV to II).

CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: Benign congenital middle-ear neoplasms are typically unilateral. Initial symptoms include failed hearing screenings and otorrhea. The recurrence rate is low, but functional reconstruction often requires a two-stage surgical approach.