Endolymphatic sac tumour: case report and literature review

Abstract

To increase awareness of the presentation, diagnostic difficulties and management of endolymphatic sac tumours. A 79-year-old man with a 6-month history of unilateral hearing loss, tinnitus and vertigo, who was suspected to have an endolymphatic sac tumour on imaging, underwent successful transmastoid-translabyrinthine resection. A 53-year-old man with unilateral hearing loss and pulsatile tinnitus underwent subtotal resection of a suspected paraganglioma, which was identified histologically. Due to interval growth, gamma knife radiosurgery was performed followed by subtotal petrosectomy, at which juncture an endolymphatic sac tumour was reported. A review of the world literature was carried out using Medline, which identified less than 150 reported cases of endolymphatic sac tumour. Endolymphatic sac tumours are rare lesions of the petrous temporal bone. Although benign, they can be locally destructive. At present, there is no consensus regarding the management and long-term follow up of these tumours. Surgical resection is usually favoured, although treatment with radiotherapy and gamma knife surgery has also been reported.