title: [Malignant melanoma of the temporal bone].
abstract: The present article describes a case of malignant melanoma with the rare localisation in the right temporal bone. The 79-year old female patient presented a polypous tumour with obturation of the outer ear canal and sanguineous otorrhoea (Fig. 1). The inner ear function was impaired showing a combined defective hearing and complete peripheral palsy of the facial nerve as well as an abducens nerve palsy (Fig. 1) with diplopia. CT and MR imaging showed a tumour destroying the temporal bone up to the apex of the pyramid and the clivus reaching the middle cranial fossa (Fig. 2-3). After palliative radiotherapy with 40 Gy the general condition and clinical symptoms improved. After a period of 8 months with no signs of further tumour progression the patient was admitted again in reduced general condition showing pulmonary and pleural metastases. The patient died 14 days later.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Hals-Nasen-Ohren-Klinik Bonn.
authors.forename: E K
authors.initials: EK
authors.lastname: Walther
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Krick
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000473:pathology / Q000528:radiation effects; D004428:Ear Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008545:Melanoma / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D010166:Palliative Care; D012888:Skull Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology / Q000532:radiotherapy; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000473:pathology* / Q000528:radiation effects; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
vernacular_title: Malignes Melanom des Felsenbeins.