Posttraumatic Temporal Bone Meningocele Presenting as a Cystic Mass in the External Auditory Canal.

Abstract

Temporal bone meningoencephalic herniation may occur in head trauma. It is a rare condition with potentially dangerous complications. Several different routes for temporal bone meningoencephalocele have been proposed. An11-year-old boy with history of head trauma initially presented with a 9-months history of progressive right-sided hearing loss and facial weakness. The other complaint was formation of a cystic mass in the right external auditory canal. The patient underwent surgery via a mini middle cranial fossa craniotomy associated with a transmastoid approach. Although presenting symptoms can be subtle, early suspicion and confirmatory imaging aid in establishing the diagnosis. The combination of computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging will help in proper preoperative diagnosis. The operation includes transmastoid, middle cranial fossa repair, or combination of both. The multilayer closure of bony defect is very important to avoid cerebrospinal fluid leak. Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and surgical approaches for posttraumatic meningoencephaloceles arising in the head and neck region are briefly discussed.