Unusual tumors obstructing the external auditory canal: Report of two cases

Abstract

Primary tumors arising from the external auditory canal (EAC) are rare. We describe two cases of mass lesions within the EAC causing slowly progressive hearing loss without otorrhea or otalgia. Otoendoscopic examination demonstrated total obstruction of the EAC, and pure tone audiometry revealed conductive hearing loss. Based on the findings of the histopathologic examination, one patient was diagnosed with venous hemangioma that was treated using surgical resection, and the other patient was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) that was treated using external-beam radiation therapy. Although primary tumors in the EAC are rare, both benign tumors such as venous hemangiomas and malignant lesions such as DLBCL should be considered as possible differential diagnoses of mass lesions in the EAC.