Ear
Congenital anomalies
Heterotopia / choristoma
Author: Nat Pernick, M.D.
Last author update: 1 October 2013
Last staff update: 14 December 2020
Copyright: 2002-2023, PathologyOutlines.com, Inc.
PubMed Search: Heterotopia choristoma [title] ear
Related Topics: Lipochoristoma
Table of Contents
Definition / general | Case reports | Radiology images | Microscopic (histologic) images | Additional referencesCite this page: Pernick N. Heterotopia / choristoma. PathologyOutlines.com website. https://www.pathologyoutlines.com/topic/earheterotopia.html. Accessed June 3rd, 2023.
Definition / general
- WHO classification includes salivary gland choristoma and glial choristoma
- Heterotopia: mass of tissue normal to the site in abnormal location
- Choristoma: mass of tissue foreign to the site
- Hamartoma: mass of tissue normal to site in haphazard arrangement
- Middle ear choristomas include salivary gland tissue and neuroglial tissue
- Salivary gland choristomas usually occur in women, associated with facial nerve and ossicle anomalies, suggesting a second branchial arch developmental anomaly; have mucinous and serous elements similar to submandibular and sublingual glands
- Neuroglial choristomas are often actually an acquired encephalocele with herniation of brain into middle ear and mastoid; treatment is surgical, although tissue may adhere to facial nerve; determine relationship to CNS structures at operation or radiographically, not by histology (Laryngoscope 2000;110:1731, Ann Diagn Pathol 2004;8:252)
- Cartilaginous choristoma of external ear canal: may be relatively common (Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2005;133:786)
Case reports
- Patient with salivary gland choristoma of the middle ear (Arch Pathol Lab Med 1982;106:39)
- 14 year old girl with salivary gland choristoma of the middle ear (Laryngoscope 2006;116:1033)
- 50 year old man with glial choristoma of middle ear and mastoid bone (J Korean Med Sci 2004;19:155)
Radiology images
Images hosted on other servers:
with soft tissue
density occupying
the middle ear
Microscopic (histologic) images
Images hosted on other servers:
glial tissue and
fibrovascular elements
GFAP+, S100+
Additional references
- Salivary gland choristomas of middle ear (ORL J Otorhinolaryngol Relat Spec 2004;66:141)
