Cryosurgical treatment of glomus juglare tumor

A 35 year-old Japanese female complained of a right-sided pulsation tinnitis, hearing disturbance, and facial weakness. Extensive radiographic studies including angiograms and retrograde juglar venography provided a diagnosis and localization of a tumor. Radical mastoidectomy was performed and a red grape-like glomus juglare tumor along the facial nerve was extirpated as there was a profuse hemorrhage from the tumor mass. Cryosurgery was then performed. Complete surgical removal is possible when the tumor is small, however, when the tumor involves the middle ear and mastoid area, complete extirpation cannot always be done. Radical mastoidectomy plus cryosurgery appears to be the most feasible management in the surgical treatment of glomus juglare tumor.