Pediatric Glomus Tumors

Glomus tumors of the middle ear are unusual in adults, but exceedingly rare in children. While a dull, red bulging tympanic membrane in the adult may suggest a glomus tumor, it generally signifies infection in the child. This report details our management of a 10-year-old girl afflicted with bilateral chronic middle ear cleft infection that obscured bilateral glomus tumors. Review of the current English language literature reveals seven additional case reports of otologic glomus tumors in children less than fourteen years of age. Two additional cases are presented that were given to the senior author by personal communication, producing a total of 10 cases for review. Glomus tumors in children may be hidden by otitis media and appear more likely to be endocrine active. Failure to cure the lesion is apparent in five of six case reports of children with glomus jugulare tumors; three of these children are reported to have expired. Complete surgical extirpation is advocated for childhood glomus tumors.