Osteoma of the malleus

Osteomas of the temporal bone are benign neoplasms that may be encountered by otolaryngologists. Clinically they should be distinguished from exostoses, which involve the external auditory meatus and are a well recognized entity. Osteomas involving the middle ear and ossicles are extremely rare. There is only one case report in the literature of an osteoma involving an ossicle and in that patient, who presented with conductive loss, the incus was involved. The present report presents a 48-year-old white male, who on routine examination was found to have a mass in his left tympanic membrane. Under local anesthesia the mass was totally excised, after it had been separated from the umbo. Histopathologic sections of the mass revealed a benign osteoma. A brief review of osteomas and exostoses of the temporal bone is presented.