Korean Journal of Audiology (대한청각학회지)

The Korean Audiology Society (대한청각학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

A Case of Fungal Ball with Cholesterol Granuloma in the Middle Ear Cavity

  • Kim, Su Geun (Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chonbuk National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Eun Jung (Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chonbuk National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Yoo, Ji Seob (Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chonbuk National University College of Medicine) ;
  • Yeo, Cha Dong (Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Chonbuk National University College of Medicine)
  • Received : 2019.08.28
  • Accepted : 2019.10.24
  • Published : 2020.10.20
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Fungal balls consist of rounded conglomerates of fungal mycelia, which can form within a preexisting cavity. They are mostly found in the paranasal sinuses in the head and neck regions. Cholesterol granuloma is a fibrotic lesion that develops as a tissue response to a foreign body such as cholesterol crystals or hemosiderin and is often associated with chronic otitis media. We present the unusual case of a 62-year-old male who was treated for chronic otitis media, which was histologically confirmed as a fungal ball and cholesterol granuloma in the middle ear cavity following tympanomastoidectomy. This is the first reported case of synchronous fungal ball and cholesterol granuloma in the middle ear cavity.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This paper was supported by Fund of Biomedical Research Institute, Chonbuk National University Hospital.

References

  1. Evans EGV, Gentles JC. Essentials of medical mycology. 1st ed. Edinburgh, England: Churchill Livingstone;1985. p.86-7.
  2. Dhingra R, Monga S, Kaur M, Brar SRS, Rupali, Arora H. Role of fungal infections in CSOM: prospective study. Indian J Basic Appl Med Res 2014;3:598-608.
  3. Rippon JW. Medical mycology: the pathogenic fungi and the pathogenic actinomycetes. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, USA: WB Saunders;1982. p.491.
  4. Kunelskaya VY. [Significance of fungal flora in chronic suppurative otitis media]. Vestn Otorinolaringol 1969;31:28-32.
  5. Gherini SG, Brackmann DE, Lo WW, Solti-Bohman LG. Cholesterol granuloma of the petrous apex. Laryngoscope 1985;95:659-64.
  6. Jackler RK, Cho M. A new theory to explain the genesis of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma. Otol Neurotol 2003;24:96-106. https://doi.org/10.1097/00129492-200301000-00020
  7. Sarioglu S, Pabuccuoglu U, Arzu Topal N. Cholesterol granuloma and aspergilloma of the maxillary sinus. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2001;258:74-6. https://doi.org/10.1007/s004050000306
  8. Kang H, Kim JK, Kim Y. Association of cholesterol granuloma and aspergillosis in the sphenoid sinus. Korean J Radiol 2008;9 Suppl:S30-3. https://doi.org/10.3348/kjr.2008.9.s.s30
  9. Carlile MJ, Watkinson SC, Gooday GW. The fungi. 1st ed. London, England: Academic Press;1994. p.86.
  10. Kim JH, Song CE, Jun BC, Lee DH. A case of fungal ball of Aspergillus in chronic otitis media. Korean J Otolaryngol 2006;49:651-4.
  11. Supiyaphun P, Sampatanukul P, Sukumalpaiboon P. Benign Aspergillus colonization (Aspergilloma) in the middle ear. Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2001;125:281-2. https://doi.org/10.1067/mhn.2001.117172