A glomus tumour involving the base of the skull

The glomus tumours can invade considerable areas of the base of the skull with no presenting symptoms or if any they can hardly be guiding. The diagnosis in most of the cases is made 5 to 8 years after the onset of the disease. Operative treatment may be efficient, but depends on the operability of the case. In our case of an inoperable glomus tumour involving the middle and posterior cranial fossae, tinnitus appeared as an initial symptom. A week later peripheral facial palsy developed. On the 15th day the patient's deglutition was impaired. At the end of the fifth month bleeding from the ear appeared. Otoscopy of the outer ear showed an irregular, granular formation in the anterior quadrants. The biopsy proved alveolar paraganglioma. The size of the tumour was evaluated with computerized tomography with and without contrast medium and digital subtraction angiography. We report the case because of the long latent asymptomatic course of the disease with penetration in the skull base. The first symptoms, manifested at the inoperable stage, was suggestive of involvement of the middle and inner ear.