Traumatic neuroma of the tympanic (Jacobson's) nerve as a possible cause of otalgia.

Abstract

To show that traumatic neuroma of the tympanic (Jacobson's) nerve may be a cause of recurrent intractable otalgia in patients following radical mastoidectomies. Histologic evaluation of four temporal bones from three patients with a history of recurrent otalgia following radical mastoidectomy. The medical records of three patients with multiple middle ear surgeries in four ears because of recurrent otalgia were reviewed. Histopathologic studies of the four temporal bones were performed. All four of the temporal bones that underwent multiple surgeries were found to have traumatic neuromas of the tympanic (Jacobson's) nerve. Recurrent otalgia in patients after radical middle ear surgery may be caused by a traumatic neuroma of the tympanic (Jacobson's) nerve.