title: Treatment of glomus tympanicum tumors by preoperative embolization and total surgical resection.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness on function preservation and tumor control of the treatment of glomus tympanicum tumors with pre-operative embolization followed by total surgical resection.
  
  
  METHODS
  We describe a series of 6 patients with a glomus tympanicum tumor who were treated in our hospital using the same technique: the day before surgery selective tumor embolization due to denaturation with 96% ethanol. Following parameters were considered: tumor classification, tumor control, clinical and audiological outcome, effectiveness of embolization, percentage of tumor necrosis and treatment complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no severe complications due to embolization or surgery. Tumor blush disappeared completely in 5 patients on DSA post embolization and histologic evaluation of the resected tissue showed a median of 69.2% of tumor necrosis. Pulsatile tinnitus disappeared in all patients and 3 patients had no symptoms at all. Hearing ameliorated in 4 patients, 1 patient without hearing loss pre- treatment still had normal hearing after treatment and 1 patient's hearing was worse after treatment. Average follow-up was 21.3months.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Treatment of glomus tympanicum tumors by pre-operative embolization with ethanol and surgical resection has not been described before. Our results show that it is a safe procedure with a good long term tumor control, good clinical and audiological outcome.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ghent University/Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185 (1P1), Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: lienneil@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Lien
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Devuyst
authors.affiliation: Department of Interventional Radiology, Ghent University/Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Luc.Defreyne@uzgent.be.
authors.forename: Luc
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Defreyne
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomic Pathology, Ghent University/Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: Marleen.Praet@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Marleen
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Praet
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, OLV Hospital Aalst, Moorselbaan 164, Aalst, Belgium. Electronic address: Sven_geukens@yahoo.co.uk.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Geukens
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Ghent University/Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185 (1P1), Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: ingeborgh.dhooge@ugent.be.
authors.forename: Ingeborg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dhooge
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D004621:Embolization, Therapeutic; D005260:Female; D043604:Glomus Tympanicum Tumor / Q000601:surgery*; D006309:Hearing; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D020127:Recovery of Function; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016896:Treatment Outcome