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A case of multiple abnormalities with eustachian tube obstruction by a protruded internal carotid artery

Akihiro Shinnabe1, Mariko Hara, Shingo Matsuzawa

  • 1Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Jichi Medical University, Saitama-shi, Saitama 330-8503, Japan. aknewpan@yahoo.co.jp

International Journal of Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology
|January 19, 2011
PubMed

Insights

A rare case shows a child

Area of Science:

  • Otolaryngology and Vascular Anatomy

Background:

  • A 10-year-old male presented with multiple congenital abnormalities.
  • The patient exhibited anomalous pinna, impaired vision, facial palsy, and moderate conductive hearing loss with otitis media with effusion.

Observation:

  • Temporal bone CT imaging revealed a protruded internal carotid artery compressing the right eustachian tube.

Findings:

  • Eustachian tube obstruction by the internal carotid artery caused conductive deafness.
  • Tympanostomy tube insertion failed to improve hearing, suggesting an associated ossicular chain anomaly.

Implications:

  • Surgical interventions like tympanoplasty for hearing improvement are complicated by poor Eustachian tube function.
  • Awareness of this specific vascular anomaly is crucial for surgeons performing otologic procedures such as myringotomy and tympanoplasty.

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