Osteopetrosis of temporal bone with blockage of the eustachian tube. A case report

Osteopetrosis is an inherited disorder characterized by bone sclerosis. One of the more predominant feature of the disease in the temporal bone is conductive hearing loss due to anomalous bone formation in the middle ear and to otitis media. A 55-year-old woman affected by the adult type of osteopetrosis was referred to our department with a long history of otitis media. CT study demonstrated a narrowing of Eustachian tube due to abnormal deposition of sclerotic bone; this condition was confirmed during surgery. Tubotomy was performed during tympanoplastic surgery and there were no relapse of otitis after 12 months of follow up. Timpanoplastic surgery should be considered in those cases where medical treatment has failed in dealing with otitis media. In our experience an enlargement of Eustachian tube shuld be performed in this kind of patients, thus helping the functional recovery and the potential well-being of the patient as we observed in our case.