title: Foramen of Huschke (tympanicum) in a Nigerian male with articular soft-tissue herniation into the external auditory meatus.
abstract: The protrusion of articular soft-tissue from the temporomandibular joint (TMJ) into the external ear in the absence of trauma, neoplasm or inflammation is rare. We present below a Nigerian adult male with retrodiscal herniation of soft-tissues of the TMJ into the external auditory meatus through a persistent foramen of Huschke. We are not aware of any reports of this developmental defect or its prevalence in the Nigerian medical literature. Therefore, this case is presented to heighten the index of suspicion of physicians when managing patients with otorrhea and otalgia; which is often primarily diagnosed or misdiagnosed as otitis externa. This will help avoid complications associated with the anomaly, some of which could be very serious.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Ahmadu Bello University Teaching Hospital, Zaria, Nigeria.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Olarinoye-Akorede
authors.forename: I S
authors.initials: IS
authors.lastname: Olanrewaju
authors.forename: A O
authors.initials: AO
authors.lastname: Suleiman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D034381:Hearing Loss / Q000209:etiology; D006547:Hernia / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017695:Soft Tissue Injuries / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy; D013705:Temporomandibular Joint Disorders / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents