The Presence of a Lipoma in the Eustachian Tube
The Presence of a Lipoma in the Eustachian Tube
Introduction: The incidence of lipoma in the Eustachian tube is very rare, and to the best of our knowledge, has not been reported in the literature. Tumors that form in the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube can be successfully removed by an endoscopic approach.
Case presentation: We report an incidentally-detected lipoma of the Eustachian tube in a 34-year-old Asian woman with a six-year history of persistent otitis media in her right ear. Our patient underwent surgery five years ago for the possibility of a choanal polyp, but her ear symptoms continued to be problematic following the surgery. Our patient was examined at our hospital, and computed tomography revealed a well-defined, hypodense, non-enhancing lesion involving the right Eustachian tube, measuring 1.6 × 2.4 cm. The mass was excised using an endoscopic approach, and was found to originate from the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube. The tumor was sent for histopathologic evaluation. The postoperative course went smoothly, and our patient recovered during follow-up over the next five months.
Conclusion: Lipoma of the Eustachian tube is very rare compared with other tumors. Improved radiologic modalities aid the diagnosis of this benign tumor. Endoscopic removal of the tumor is possible and has helped in early recovery.
Lipomas are benign tumors and present as painless soft tissue masses commonly seen in adults. They can arise from many parts of the body, but are most commonly found in the subcutaneous tissue of the neck and trunk. According to their location, they are also categorized as subcutaneous, submucous or intramuscular lipomas. Apart from fat cells, lipomas may also contain other tissue components, such as fibrous, nervous or vascular tissue. Lipomas originating from the Eustachian tube are extremely rare. Herein we report a case of a lipoma arising from the Eustachian tube.
Abstract and Introduction
Abstract
Introduction: The incidence of lipoma in the Eustachian tube is very rare, and to the best of our knowledge, has not been reported in the literature. Tumors that form in the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube can be successfully removed by an endoscopic approach.
Case presentation: We report an incidentally-detected lipoma of the Eustachian tube in a 34-year-old Asian woman with a six-year history of persistent otitis media in her right ear. Our patient underwent surgery five years ago for the possibility of a choanal polyp, but her ear symptoms continued to be problematic following the surgery. Our patient was examined at our hospital, and computed tomography revealed a well-defined, hypodense, non-enhancing lesion involving the right Eustachian tube, measuring 1.6 × 2.4 cm. The mass was excised using an endoscopic approach, and was found to originate from the cartilaginous portion of the Eustachian tube. The tumor was sent for histopathologic evaluation. The postoperative course went smoothly, and our patient recovered during follow-up over the next five months.
Conclusion: Lipoma of the Eustachian tube is very rare compared with other tumors. Improved radiologic modalities aid the diagnosis of this benign tumor. Endoscopic removal of the tumor is possible and has helped in early recovery.
Introduction
Lipomas are benign tumors and present as painless soft tissue masses commonly seen in adults. They can arise from many parts of the body, but are most commonly found in the subcutaneous tissue of the neck and trunk. According to their location, they are also categorized as subcutaneous, submucous or intramuscular lipomas. Apart from fat cells, lipomas may also contain other tissue components, such as fibrous, nervous or vascular tissue. Lipomas originating from the Eustachian tube are extremely rare. Herein we report a case of a lipoma arising from the Eustachian tube.
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