Temporomandibular joint herniation into the middle ear: A rare cause of mastication-induced tinnitus

Jin Woo Choi, MD, PhD; HyunJoo Nahm, MD; Jung Eun Shin, MD, PhD; Chang-Hee Kim, MD, PhD

Radiology Case Reports (Feb 2020)

Temporomandibular joint herniation into the middle ear: A rare cause of mastication-induced tinnitus

Jin Woo Choi, MD, PhD,
HyunJoo Nahm, MD,
Jung Eun Shin, MD, PhD,
Chang-Hee Kim, MD, PhD

Affiliations

Jin Woo Choi, MD, PhD: Department of Radiology, Konkuk University Medical Center, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
HyunJoo Nahm, MD: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120-1 Neungdong-ro (Hwayang-dong), Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 05030, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Jung Eun Shin, MD, PhD: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120-1 Neungdong-ro (Hwayang-dong), Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 05030, Seoul, Republic of Korea
Chang-Hee Kim, MD, PhD: Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Konkuk University Medical Center, Research Institute of Medical Science, Konkuk University School of Medicine, 120-1 Neungdong-ro (Hwayang-dong), Gwangjin-gu, Seoul, Republic of Korea, 05030, Seoul, Republic of Korea; Corresponding author.

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 15, no. 2
pp. 125 – 127

Abstract

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A 75-year-old patient complained of mastication-induced clicking tinnitus on the left side, and otoendoscopic examination revealed that the left tympanic membraneTM was outwardly bulged by clenching her teeth. Temporal bone computed tomography demonstrated that the posteromedial bony wall of the glenoid was partially dehiscent, allowing herniation of soft tissue contents of temporomandibular joint into the middle ear. Increased middle ear pressure due to soft tissue herniation can induce left tympanic membrane bulging and accompanying clicking tinnitus. Herniation of temporomandibular joint soft tissue into the middle ear should be considered as a differential diagnosis when clicking tinnitus is evoked by mastication. Keywords: Tinnitus, Mastication, Temporomandibular joint, Middle ear, Foramen of Huschke

Published in Radiology Case Reports

ISSN: 1930-0433 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: United States
LCC subjects: Medicine: Medicine (General): Medical physics. Medical radiology. Nuclear medicine
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/radiology-case-reports

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