Eryilmaz A, Dagli M, Cayonu M, Dursun E, Gocer C
Otolaryngology Department, Ankara Numune Research and Training Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
J Laryngol Otol. 2008 Sep;122(9):983-5. doi: 10.1017/S0022215107000199. Epub 2007 Jul 19.
To draw attention to the possibility of an aberrant internal carotid artery behind an intact tympanic membrane presenting as a middle-ear mass.
A 48-year-old female patient presented with a hearing impairment in her right ear that had started 10 years ago. Otoscopic examination revealed a retro-tympanic mass. A high resolution computed tomography scan of the temporal bone was performed that showed protrusion of the internal carotid artery into the middle ear. Magnetic resonance angiography provided excellent visualisation of the internal carotid artery. Finally, a diagnosis of an aberrant internal carotid artery was made and the patient was evaluated with a conservative approach.
All retro-tympanic masses should ideally be visualised with a computed tomography scan of the temporal bone before any middle-ear surgery, such as tympanotomy and biopsy, and it is essential for every otologist who undertakes myringotomy and middle-ear surgery to know about this rare entity.
提醒注意完整鼓膜后出现异常颈内动脉并表现为中耳肿物的可能性。
一名48岁女性患者，10年前开始出现右耳听力减退。耳镜检查发现鼓膜后肿物。进行了颞骨高分辨率计算机断层扫描，显示颈内动脉突入中耳。磁共振血管造影能很好地显示颈内动脉。最终诊断为异常颈内动脉，并对患者采取保守治疗方法进行评估。
理想情况下，在进行任何中耳手术（如鼓膜切开术和活检）之前，所有鼓膜后肿物都应通过颞骨计算机断层扫描进行观察，并且每位进行鼓膜切开术和中耳手术的耳科医生都必须了解这种罕见情况。
