[Chemodectoma: tympanic tumor]

Glomus tympanicum tumors are the most common benign tumors of middle ear. Initially the leading symptoms are hearing loss and tinnitus. Other complications such as facial nerve paresis reflect deeper structures involvement. Sometimes the disease is masked by chronic pyogenic otitis media. It delays the diagnosis what we observed in one of three cases of chemodectoma presented. We present 3 cases of glomus tumor tympanicus that occurred in three women aged 60-68 years by the time of diagnosis. Localisation, size of the tumor and relation to other structures of the ear was made on the basis of computer tomography. The patients were operated (atticoantrotomy). In one of the cases there was recidivation of the disease two years after operation, we have made reoperation with hearing improvement. All the three patients were cured in outpatient before the correct diagnosis for a few years, they all presented typical symptoms together with typical changes in tympanic membrane. It is important to stress, that chronic pyogenic otitis media which first occurred as the patient was over fifty should arouse suspicion of neoplastic disease.