Otological manifestations of leukemia

Abstract

Abstract The authors have been fortunate to study the currently largest single series of temporal bones from patients with various forms of leukemia, including the first reported cases of erythroleukemia. Histologically, the middle ear showed leukemic infiltration and/or hemorrhage much more frequently than did the inner ear or external auditory canal. No sound relationship exists between the anatomical location of hemorrhage in the temporal bone and clinical otological symptomatology. A better relationship exists between the anatomical site of leukemic infiltration of the temporal bone and clinical otological symptomatology. Twenty percent of these patients experienced otological complications directly attributable to their leukemia. An additional 28 percent of these patients experienced clinical otological problems for which a leukemic etiology could not be definitely established by histopathological study of their temporal bones. Otological complications occurred most frequently in patients with the acute forms of leukemia, and specifically, in acute lymphocytic leukemia.