Cervical spine meningioma presenting as otalgia: case report.
OBJECTIVE
Cervical spine meningiomas have not been reported to present as otalgia. It is important to include otalgia in the differential diagnosis and workup, especially when more common causes of ear pain have been excluded.


METHODS
A 66-year-old woman presented to her primary care physician with severe ear pain. She underwent routine diagnostic testing and eventually was referred to a neurologist. After conservative management failed, the patient underwent cervical spine magnetic resonance imaging, which revealed a large meningioma encompassing C2-C3.


METHODS
The patient underwent a cervical laminectomy with complete resection of the tumor. She experienced immediate postoperative resolution of her symptoms.


CONCLUSIONS
This case illustrates the importance of aggressive evaluation of otalgia when routine diagnostic studies are inconclusive. Cervical meningiomas are associated with significant potential morbidity and should be excluded early in the diagnostic process.
Danish
Shabbar F
SF
University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA. Shabbardanish@hotmail.com
Zager
Eric L
EL
D000368:Aged; D002220:Carbamazepine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000601:surgery; D003391:Cranial Nerves / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D018450:Disease Progression; D004433:Earache / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D005260:Female; D020234:Gait Ataxia / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D006987:Hypesthesia / Q000209:etiology; D007796:Laminectomy; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008577:Meningeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D008579:Meningioma / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D010292:Paresthesia / Q000209:etiology; D013120:Spinal Cord Neoplasms / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery
D002220:Carbamazepine