A Curious Case of Crystal Deposit Disease in the Petrous Bone
Authors:
- Marije De Jong
- Carlos Candanedo
- Tal Keidar Haran
- Michal Kaufman
Affiliations:
- Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, ISR
- Neurosurgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, ISR
- Pathology, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, ISR
- Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, ISR
Corresponding Author:
Marije De Jong, dejong.marije@gmail.com
Abstract
Crystal deposit disease is a rare disorder characterized by benign dense soft tissue calcium-containing accumulations, presenting as pseudogout or tumoral calcinosis. It rarely affects the head and neck region and even less commonly the petrous bone.
We describe a case of para-articular tumoral calcinosis involving the external auditory canal wall in close proximity to the temporomandibular joint, with extension towards the middle cranial fossa floor in a 73-year-old man presenting with otalgia and progressive mixed hearing loss. Subtotal petrosectomy with obliteration of the middle ear and mastoid was performed with complete removal of the lesion.
We discuss the clinical course, treatment, and final pathology, including possible explanations for the pathophysiology of this particular case. Although tumoral calcinosis is uncommon, this entity should be considered in the differential diagnosis when an osteogenic temporal lesion is observed on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging.
Treatment for this benign tumor includes complete excision of the lesion in symptomatic cases. Proper evaluation, including a detailed family history, assessment of previous trauma, and serology, should be conducted. The exact etiology and classification of crystal deposit diseases require further study.
