Pleomorphic Adenoma of the Auditory Canal

Figures

a) Inspection of the tumor in the auditory canal; b) H & E staining (10 × magnification), the glands are unremarkable in a partially chondroid stroma

A male patient in his 50s presented with a firm, obstructing mass in the left auditory canal. The patient reported impaired hearing. He was also concerned by the marked increase in the size of the mass. Pure-tone audiometry revealed mild combined hearing loss in the high-frequency range on the left side. Unenhanced computed tomography of the petrous part of the temporal bone showed an intact, bony auditory canal. Ultrasound demonstrated a small, reactively enlarged lymph node in the left parotid gland. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed a solid tumor that could not be definitively assigned to the parotid gland. The tumor was removed with the capsule intact. Pathology confirmed the diagnosis of a pleomorphic adenoma measuring 1.2 cm. Pleomorphic adenomas are common, benign tumors that usually arise from the salivary glands. In the auditory canal, such tumors likely originate from the ceruminous glands. Tumors located in the external auditory canal are rare, with only around 50 cases described worldwide. Wound healing was uneventful following complete resection with the capsule intact.

Dr. med. Wieland Behr, Dr. med. Rainer M. Weiß, Prof. Dr. med. Boris A. Stuck, Klinik für Hals-, Nasen- und Ohrenheilkunde, Kopf- und Hals-Chirurgie, Universitätsklinikum Gießen und Marburg GmbH, Philipps-Universität Marburg, [e-mail]

Conflict of interest statement: The authors state that no conflict of interest exists.

Translated from the original German by Christine Rye.

Cite this as: Behr W, Weiß R, Stuck BA: Pleomorphic adenoma of the auditory canal. Dtsch Arztebl Int 2026; 123: 389. DOI: 10.3238/arztebl.m2026.0051