Aberrant Carotid Artery in the Middle Ear

Year 2015, Volume: 32 Issue: 1, 111 - 113, 01.01.2015

Sertaç Yetişer

Abstract

Background: Carotid artery abnormality in the middle
ear is a rare clinical condition. Recognition of the problems
related with this abnormality is important since
it may mimic vascular tumors. Any intervention with
incomplete evaluation can be fatal.
Case Report: A 23-year-old girl with carotid abnormality
and sensorineural hearing loss, unsteadiness and
tinnitus is presented. She was followed for 2 months
elsewhere assuming that she had Meniere’s disease and
had previously received some medication for otitis media
with effusion.
Conclusion: Tomography and magnetic resonance
imaging of the temporal bone are very helpful for visualization
of an aberrant carotid in the middle ear.
Radiological presentations are the reduced caliber of
the aberrant carotid, an absence of cranial opening of
carotid canal, tubular coursing along the medial wall
of the middle ear in continuity with the horizontal carotid
canal, dehiscence of the lateral carotid plate and
enlargement of the tympanic canalicus.

Keywords

Aberrant carotid artery, hearing loss, tinnitus

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