Temporomandibular joint ganglion-induced external auditory canal obstruction associated with osteoarthritis: a case report

Ganglions are pseudocysts that develop from part of the joint capsule or tendon sheath and are filled with synovial fluid. In this report, we describe a case of external auditory canal obstruction caused by a temporomandibular joint (TMJ) ganglion that was thought to be related to osteoarthritis. A 62-year-old man with the chief complaint of swelling of the anterior wall of the left external auditory canal underwent cystectomy at the Department of Otorhinolaryngology. Histopathological examination revealed a ganglion. Three months later, the swelling reappeared; computed tomography revealed an enlarged left temporomandibular head, which prompted the patient to visit our department. Subsequently, the ear canal was completely obstructed due to worsened swelling, and TMJ arthroplasty and ear canalplasty were performed. Postoperatively, the patient recovered well with no recurrence of swelling. Ganglions that arise as masses in the external auditory canal may be accompanied by osteoarthritis.