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Ear, nose and throat
A cutaneous sensory nerve schwannoma occluding the external auditory canal
  1. John Augustus Bass1,
  2. Tanya Gupta1,
  3. Nick Saunders1 and
  4. Philippe Bowles2
  1. 1ENT Department, UHSussex, Brighton, UK
  2. 2ENT, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton, UK
  1. Correspondence to Dr John Augustus Bass; john.bass{at}nhs.net

Abstract

Schwannomas are benign tumours derived from Schwann cells of the peripheral nerve sheaths. A schwannoma arising in the external auditory canal (EAC) is rare, with few cases reported in the literature. These tumours present a unique challenge and should be considered when patients present with persistent ear symptoms in the absence of common otological pathology. We present a case of a man in his late 60s, referred to the otolaryngology team with unilateral conductive hearing loss and a right-sided EAC mass found on otoscopy. CT and MRI of the head and neck revealed a mass occluding the right EAC, originating from a peripheral cutaneous nerve. Management including biopsy, histopathological analysis and surgical excision in its entirety resulted in a good outcome, leaving a symptom-free patient.

  • Otolaryngology / ENT
  • Head and neck surgery
  • Ear, nose and throat/otolaryngology

https://doi.org/10.1136/bcr-2023-257007

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    Footnotes

    • Contributors The following authors were responsible for drafting of the text, sourcing and editing of clinical images, investigation results, drawing original diagrams and algorithms, and critical revision for important intellectual content: JB, TG, NS and PB. The following authors gave final approval of the manuscript: JB, TG, NS and PB. Is the patient one of the authors of this manuscript? No.

    • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

    • Case reports provide a valuable learning resource for the scientific community and can indicate areas of interest for future research. They should not be used in isolation to guide treatment choices or public health policy.

    • Competing interests None declared.

    • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.