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

J Audiol Otol. 2020 Oct;24(4):210-213. doi: 10.7874/jao.2019.00339. Epub 2019 Dec 10.

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: Cholesterol granuloma; Fungal ball; Middle ear.

Publication types

  • Case Reports