title: Cavernous haemangioma of the external auditory canal: clinical case and review of the literature.
abstract: Although benign vascular lesions are frequent in the head and the neck region, clinical evidence of cavernous haemangioma of the external auditory canal is extremely rare; when present, the lesion invades the middle ear space. Herein, a rare case of a soft mass filling the external auditory canal, not involving the tympanic membrane, in a symptomatic 59-year-old male is described. Clinical and audiological characteristics, imaging studies and surgical treatment with histological evaluation are reported, which led to a diagnosis of a cavernous haemangioma. This is only the seventh case described in the literature, to date, not involving the tympanic membrane and the middle ear space. In addition, a review has been made of the relevant literature with respect to epidemiology, presentation, evaluation, pathology, and management options for haemangiomas arising in the external auditory canal.
authors.affiliation: Otorhinolaryngology Clinic, Department of Experimental Biomedicine and Clinical Neurosciences, University of Palermo, Italy.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Martines
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bentivegna
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maira
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marasà
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ferrara
mesh_terms: D004424:Ear Canal; D004428:Ear Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006392:Hemangioma, Cavernous / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged