Introduction. Late metastases of malignant tumors in the temporal bone are
very rare lesions. They can be asymptomatic for a long time, and usually
manifest themselves in the form of hearing loss, dizziness, tinnitus, and
paralysis of the facial nerve. Modern radiological diagnostics and
explorative surgery with biopsy are essential for diagnosis. Case report. We
present a rare and unusual case of a 66-year-old female patient with a
facial nerve paralysis that appeared as the first sign of metastatic breast
cancer in the temporal bone 10 years after treatment. A sudden hearing loss
and dizziness occurred six months later and value of CA 15-3 was elevated.
Scintigraphy pointed to susceptible metastatic deposits of the axial
skeleton, without lesions in the temporal bone. Finally, repeated
computerized tomography revealed osteolytic changes of the temporal bone six
months after that. Immunohistochemical analysis of mastoid tissue samples
confirmed that it was a breast cancer metastasis. One year after palliative
radiotherapy and oral hormone therapy, a patient has a good general
condition with better function of the facial nerve. Conclusion. A high
degree of clinical suspicion sometimes requires repeated radiological
diagnostics in order to detect osteolytic metastatic changes in the temporal
bone, but also in other bone structures within the hematogenous
dissemination of the malignant disease.
SOME ASPECTS OF PEDIATRIC SPINAL CORD INJURY
