Salivary gland choristoma of the middle ear

Abstract

Choristoma is a mass of tissue histologically normal for an organ or part of the body other than the site at which it is located. A rare case of ectopic salivary gland choristoma in the middle ear is described in a 14-year-old girl whose only symptom was a 55 dB conductive hearing loss. The left middle ear mass appeared whitish and was located behind the intact tympanic membrane. We first suspected it to be congenital middle ear cholesteatoma. Exploratory tympanotomy, however, revealed a salivary gland choristoma that adhered tightly to the facial nerve. Differential diagnosis and treatment of this rare condition are discussed.