Surgical management of glomus tympanicum tumor

Glomus tympanicum tumor (also known as paraganglioma or chemodectoma) is the most benign tumor of temporal bone. Treatment may be palliative or curative. Palliative therapy includes watchful observation or radiotherapy and curative treatment is surgical. During 1995 to 2005, 18 cases of glomus tympanicum were managed at Basavanagudi ENT Care Centre Bangalore. We review retrospectively the diagnosis and surgical management of these cases. Advances in the imaging and refinements in traditional surgery have made correct diagnosis and complete excision of these tumors possible in most of the cases.