External Auditory Canal Paraganglioma with Chronic Otitis Media of Ear: A Rare Coexistence

Paraganglioma is a rare benign tumour accounts for 0.6% of the all the malignancies affecting the head neck region. They originate from the paraganglionic cells from neuroendocrine tissues from skull base to the pelvic floor. Very rarely, temporal bone gets involved by the disease and it is the middle ear and mastoid complex which gets affected by the disease. Isolated involvement of the external auditory canal without the involvement of the tympanomastoid region is very unusual and only 5 cases have been reported in the literature till date. Again, coexisting middle ear disease with the canal paraganglioma is very rare and always being a challenge for the diagnosis due to its atypical presentation and its histopathogical features. Here, we present an atypical case of an external auditory canal paraganglioma, masquerading as complicated chronic otitis media.