ENT Quiz – Progressive Hearing Loss

Answer

The diagnosis is Osteoma – Osteomas of the external ear are uncommon benign tumors that need to be differentiated from the external ear canal exostoses, bony proliferations that are linked mainly to cold-water exposure.

Bony growths in the external ear have been largely classified as exostoses (most frequently encountered) and osteomas, to differentiate their mechanisms of origin. Although the exact intrinsic mechanism that triggers their development is unknown, most of the authors agree that exostoses are a reaction to cold-water stimulation of the local periosteum, while osteomas are benign osseous tumors.