Eosinophilic granuloma of the temporal bone: medical and surgical management in the pediatric patient.

Eosinophilic granuloma is frequently confused with infectious diseases or neoplastic conditions of the temporal bone. It is one of a spectrum of diseases classically known as histiocytosis X. Eosinophilic granuloma usually takes a benign clinical course; however, progression of disease has frequently been documented in the pediatric age group. Our interest in eosinophilic granuloma was generated by a 2-year-old white boy who presented with a large postauricular mass, aural discharge, and posterior-canal-wall granulation tissue. We present this patient's clinical course and a review of the literature concerning diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of eosinophilic granuloma of the temporal bone.