[Hemangioma of the middle ear].

Haemangioma is an extremely rare tumour of the middle ear. A case of a 60-year old woman patient who complained of a hearing loss for about a year, is reported. Microotoscopy showed a blue pulsating mass behind the tympanic membrane. Angiographic and computer-tomographic investigations led to the suspicion of a glomus tympanicum tumour that was removed bitemporally. The histological preparation showed a capillary haemangioma. Only few cases have been reported in the literature of the last few decades. The symptoms may be loss of hearing, pulsating tinnitus, bleeding, pain and, in extreme cases, paralysis of cranial nerves. Besides treatment by surgery the therapeutic aim should be to preserve the function of the middle ear.