[Nonchromaffin paragangliomas (chemodectoma) of the middle ear in the material of the ENT Department Medical University of Gdańsk].

INTRODUCTION

Nonchromaffin paraganglioma (chemodectoma) is the most common neoplasm of the middle ear. The diagnosis and treatment is one of the most challenging in otolaryngology.

THE AIM OF THE STUDY

was clinical and epidemiological analysis of patients with nonchromaffin paraganglioma of the middle ear.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

The material consisted of 13 patients (10 females, 3 males), age 19-62 years, treated for paraganglioma of the middle ear in the ENT Department Medical University of Gdańsk between 1968 and 2009. We analyzed the symptoms and results of additional diagnostic tests necessary to establish the diagnosis.

RESULTS

We have diagnosed 12 cases of benign chemodectoma (92.3%) and 1 case of chemodectoma malignum (7.7%). The surgical treatment was applied in 6 patients (46.1%), 4 patients (30.8%) received complementary radiotherapy and 3 patients (23.1%) were treated only with radiotherapy.

CONCLUSIONS

The diagnosis of paragangliomas of the ear is difficult and should be based on clinical data, audiometric tests, CT, MRI and histological examination. Surgical treatment of paragangliomas is limited to early stages of the disease. The results of the research show that the best therapeutic method in advanced cases is surgical treatment with complementary radiotherapy.