Clinical and Surgical Management of Pediatric Diseases of the Ear and Temporal Bone

The temporal bone is an anatomically intricate area of the skull base that encases the organs of hearing and balance. Pathological disorders of the temporal bone can disrupt these important sensory functions and injure other critical structures that pass through the area including the facial nerve. This chapter describes and illustrates the presentation, diagnostic imaging features, and approach to management of acquired pathological conditions of the temporal bone in children. The conditions presented range from relatively common benign disorders like cholesteatoma through to rare and aggressive disorders such as Langerhans histiocytosis, glomus tumor, endolymphatic sac tumor, lymphoma, and different sarcomas. Developmental, infective, and traumatic anomalies which can also cause significant injury are beyond the scope of this chapter.