Ear tumor removal surgery in Iran
There are various reasons that may cause tumor development in the ear. Some of these tumors might be benign others can be malignant (cancerous), but both of them can cause hearing loss so they both must be removed. However, ear tumor removal surgery can be very expensive in some countries or other countries might not have the needed expertise and/or equipment to remove them. Therefore, many patients travel abroad for treatment. If you are one of them or even if you have not considered traveling for treatment, we ask you to consider ear tumor removal surgery in Iran with Dr. Saeedi the renown ENT and neuro-otology surgeon in Tehran. Please keep reading to have a better understanding about this surgery and why to consider having ear tumor removal surgery in Iran with Dr. Saeedi.
What is ear tumor?
Ear tumor is a swelling or an abnormal mass of tissues that appears on the ear or inside it and results from an excessive division and growth of cells. Types of ear tumor are presented briefly in the following paragraphs.
Benign ear tumors
It is common for a benign tumor to develop in the ear canal causing hearing loss and building up ear wax in the canal. Benign ear tumors might develop in the external ear and the middle ear. Benign ear tumors include:
Glomus Tumor
Glomus tumor or glomus tympanicum is considered to be the most common primary tumor of the middle ear. It is a benign tumor that grows slowly. It can destroy nearby tissues and spread into the neck. Glomus tympanicum can damage the function of the ear causing hearing loss and facial paralysis.
Acoustic neuroma
Acoustic neuroma or vestibular schwannoma is a benign rare tumor that often grows slowly. Acoustic neuroma develops in the vestibular nerve not in the acoustic nerve. This tumor does not usually spread through the body, but it can be dangerous if not treated.
Earlobe tumor (earlobe cyst)
It is common and normal to have cysts in every area of the body including the earlobe. Earlobe cysts, also known as epidermoid cysts, are benign tumors that can form due to an injury or an abnormal cell divide.
Middle ear neuroendocrine tumor
Neuroendocrine adenoma middle ear (NAME) is a bengin glandular tumor that grows in the middle ear. This tumor has different names, such as middle ear adenoma, carcinoid tumor, amphicrine adenoma, adenocarcinoid, and adenomatoid tumor of middle ear.
Malignant ear tumor (Ear cancer)
Even though ear cancer is very rare, there are different types of ear cancer. Malignant ear tumor can affect the external ear, the middle ear, and the inner ear. Usually, ear cancer starts as a skin cancer that spreads later to the ear, but it is also possible that ear cancer starts from within.
Ear tumor symptoms and signs
Symptoms of glomus tumor
Since this tumor can spread throughout the neck, the symptoms might differ depending on the location of the tumor. If the tumor is located in the middle ear, the symptoms might include the following:
- Hearing loss,
- Tinnitus and noises in the ear,
- Bleeding from one of the ears.
If the tumor is located in other locations like jugular bulb, the patient might suffer from symptoms like bleeding from the ear, ear pain, hearing loss, and difficulties in swallowing.
Symptoms of acoustic neuroma
Since acoustic neuroma grows slowly, its symptoms may take a long time. Usually acoustic neuroma’s symptoms develop gradually and tend to be very mild at the beginning. However, the symptoms might include the following after the growth of the tumor:
- Gradual hearing loss: the hearing loss usually starts at one side and might occur suddenly in some cases;
- Tinnitus: patients will start to hear noise in the ear;
- Vertigo: patients will have the feeling that their surroundings are spinning;
- Balance loss: acoustic neuroma will prevent patients from walking steadily;
- Changes in taste: some patients will suffer from some changes in taste because of the tumor.
Symptoms of middle ear neuroendocrine tumor
Although this tumor is located in the middle ear cavity, it may spread into the adjacent structures such as external auditory canal, mastoid bone, and Eustachian tube. The main symptoms and signs of this tumor are unilateral hearing loss that is usually associated with decreased auditory acuity, and specifically conductive hearing loss when the ossicular bones are involved. Other signs may include tinnitus, otitis media, pressure or ear discharge.
Symptoms of ear cancer
The symptoms of ear cancer depend on the location of the tumor. Ear cancer can affect various parts of the ear. Each one of those cancers shows different symptoms.
Cancer of the ear canal
The symptoms of ear canal cancer may include
- Hearing loss,
- Fluid discharges from the ear,
- Lumps (that can appear in the ear canal or somewhere close to it).
Cancer of the middle ear
The symptoms are close to the symptoms of ear canal cancer. They include:
- Fluid discharges from the ear (the fluids might be bloody in some cases),
- Hearing loss,
- Ear pain,
- Numbing of the affected side.
Ear bone tumors
Osteoma of external auditory canal
Ear canal osteoma is a rare tumor that affects the bony external auditory canal. It is considered a benign tumor, but it can affect the hearing process. The symptoms of the ear canal osteoma might include hearing loss, ear pain, tinnitus, and vertigo. Some patients reported developing cholesteatoma along with osteoma.
A lot of experts suggest that inflammation and chronic irritation are the cause of the ear canal osteoma, but there isn’t enough evidence to support this suggestion.
Ear canal osteoma does not usually require any treatment. Many patients schedule for ear cleanings when there is an excessive ear wax build-up. The surgical removal of osteomas is usually needed if the patient had recurring infections or hearing loss due to the osteoma.
Exostosis of the external auditory canal
Exostosis that is also known as surfer’s ear is an abnormal growth of the bone structure on the ear canal. It is known as surfer’s ear because a lot of the patients who have exostoses have been exposed to cold water for long periods.
Exostosis can be caused by many factors including: injuries, chronic bone irritations, and other unknown yet factors.
There are some similarities between the symptoms of exostosis and osteoma as both include reduction of the sensitivity of hearing, tinnitus, dizziness, ear pain and possible increases in ear infections.
The only possible treatment for “surfer’s ear” is the surgical excision of the tumor. This surgery is usually done using small chisels through the ear canal. The drill is only used in this surgery when the tumor is located near the eardrum.
Treatment of ear tumor
Treatments of glomus tumor
Most of the time, glomus tumors do not require treatment. However, if treatment is needed to relieve the symptoms, the best option will be surgery. Glomus tumor ear surgery is a very complex surgery that requires an expert neurologist and neurosurgeon.
Treatments of acoustic neuroma
Before deciding whether you should treat acoustic neuroma, you should wait and monitor the tumor for some time. The tumor is benign and grows slowly, so treatment might not be needed.
In case the treatment is needed, the tumor will be removed surgically. There are 3 surgical approaches that can be used to remove the tumor:
- Translabyrinthine approach: the surgeon will make an incision behind the ear and removes the bone behind it along with some parts of the middle ear. Doctors will use this method if the tumor is larger than 3 centimeters.
- Retrosigmoid/sub-occipital: the surgeon will open the skull from the back to expose the back of the tumor and remove it. This surgery is used for tumors of all sizes.
- Middle fossa: the surgeon will remove a small piece of the bone that is above the ear canal in order to access the tumor and remove it. This approach is used to remove small tumors and preserve the hearing at the same time.
Treatments of earlobe tumor (earlobe cyst)
Usually, earlobe tumor does not need treatment unless it becomes annoying for the patient and causing a lot of pain. Earlobe tumor removal requires a surgery that is usually done under local anesthesia.
Treatments of middle ear neuroendocrine tumor
This tumor must be surgically resected as complete as possible, and the osicular chain must be involved in most cases to prevent recurrences. Reconstructive surgery may be necessary in some cases.
Treatments of ear cancer
The treatment of ear cancer (malignant ear tumor) depends on many factors like the size of the tumor and its location.
In cases of skin cancer, the surgeon will cut the tumor out and the resection can be followed by a reconstruction surgery if a large area was removed.
The treatment of ear canal cancer requires removing the tumor surgically followed by radiation. The surgeon will choose the convenient technique depending on the extent of the tumor. Sometimes the surgeon will be able to reconstruct the ear but this depends on how much of the ear was removed.
Recovery after ear tumor removal surgery
The recovery time after ear tumor surgery varies depending on the type of tumor and its size among other factors. For example, the recovery time after acoustic neuroma surgery is 4 to 6 weeks. The recovery time after glomus tumor removal is different for each patient, and the surgeon shall estimate the recovery time based on the patient’s condition.
Why to undergo ear tumor removal surgery in Iran with Dr. Saeedi?
The low cost of tumor removal surgery in Iran
Compared to other countries like the United States of America and the United Kingdom, Iran offers more affordable prices. If you choose to undergo the ear tumor removal surgery in Iran, the cost of the ear tumor operation itself along with the cost of the journey will be less than a quarter of the surgery cost in the United States.
The best medical services and surgeons in Iran
Iran has some of the best surgeons in the whole world. And that is why Iran became one of the best medical tourism destinations in the world. Iranian surgeons are performing thousands of surgeries each year, thus increasing their experience.
Among the best ENT doctors in Iran, Dr. Masoomeh Saeedi stands out as one of the most distinguished surgeons in this field. Dr. Saeedi obtained a fellowship in Neuro-otology more than 12 years ago, in which she was ranked the first rank in the country.
Dr. Saeedi has passed many international specialized courses in countries such as Germany, France, Portugal, Malaysia, South Korea and others. During her many years of experience, Dr. Saeedi has performed over 5,000 successful surgeries, including ear tumor removal surgeries, for national and international patients, in addition to being an associate professor of otolaryngology at Baqiatallah University of Medical Sciences in Tehran.
In addition to the skillful surgeons, Iran has a lot of hospitals, medical centers, and clinics that are equipped with the most advanced equipment. Dr. Saeedi is keen on conducting her operations in the best hospitals and specialized surgical centers in Tehran to provide her patients with the best possible experience and ensure the satisfactory results of her operations.
In summary, by undergoing ear tumor removal surgery in Iran with Dr. Saeedi, you can rest assured that you benefit from the high experience of Dr. Saeedi and the latest surgical techniques while paying a considerably less amount of money. Please contact us now to have a free specialized online consultation with Dr. Saeedi along with a free quote on your case.
Frequently asked questions about ear tumor removal surgery
Can ear tumor kill you?
Most of the ear tumors are benign that do not cause lifethreatening symptoms. But in some cases, it can be dangerous and leads to death if it left untreated.
How to remove ear tumor?
Surgery is the best option to remove ear tumors. The method used depends on various factors like the type of tumor, its size, and location.
Is ear tumor removal surgery dangerous?
In general, ear tumor removal surgeries have high success rates. Most of the patients can be cured without any complications even in cases of cancer. Of course, there might be some complications. Therefore, it is better to consult with your doctor before you choose to undergo the surgery.