Glomus Tympanicum in an Asymptomatic 82-Year-Old Woman

Glomus tympanicum is a rare, highly vascular paraganglioma of the middle ear that may cause pulsatile tinnitus and hearing loss. Management decisions, particularly in older adults, must balance symptom control with the risks of intervention. OBJECTIVE: To describe the long-term clinical course of an incidentally discovered glomus tympanicum managed with watchful waiting and close surveillance.

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Single case report with no practice-changing guidance; audiologists encountering pulsatile tinnitus or unexplained conductive hearing loss should consider middle-ear vascular lesions in the differential, which is already standard practice.

This case highlights the incidental discovery challenge of glomus tympanicum in elderly patients, raising questions about observation versus intervention in asymptomatic presentations.

1. 01Glomus tympanicum is a rare, highly vascular benign tumor of the middle ear often linked to pulsatile tinnitus and hearing loss.
2. 02Case describes an asymptomatic 82-year-old woman, an atypical presentation for this tumor.
3. 03Management decisions in elderly asymptomatic patients are complex — observation may be preferred over surgery.
4. 04Audiologists may encounter pulsatile tinnitus as a presenting complaint prompting ENT referral.
5. 05Evidence is limited to a single case report (lowest level of evidence).

PMID

42679647

DOI

10.1016/j.amjoto.2026.104914.

Journal

American Journal of Otolaryngology

Publication type

case_report

Evidence level

4

Sample size

1

Population

Asymptomatic 82-year-old woman with incidental glomus tympanicum paraganglioma

Intervention

Clinical observation and management decision-making for glomus tympanicum