Bilateral osteoradionecrosis of the temporal bones: a rare complication of radiotherapy

Masyita GAFFAR ^{1, 2}, Roslinda ABDURRAHMAN ¹, Suraya AZIZ ³, Abdullah ASMA ¹

¹ Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Kuala Lumpur, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, ² Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine,

Hasanuddin University, Hospital Labuang Baji Makassar, Indonesia, ³ Department of Radiology, Faculty of Medicine, Kuala Lumpur, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia

ABSTRACT

Osteoradionecrosis of the temporal bone is a rare complication of radiotherapy treatment for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). We report the case of a 72-year-old man with osteoradionecrosis of bilateral temporal bones three years after completion of radiation therapy for NPC. He presented to us with chronic ear discharge secondary to persistent right chronic otitis media for the past 15 years. Pure tone audiometry showed bilateral moderate mixed hearing loss. A right cortical mastoidectomy showed extensive granulation tissue in the mastoid cavity. Recovery was uneventful but required the use of hearing aids.

Keywords: Nasopharyngeal cancer, radiotherapy, complication osteonecrosis

Correspondence author: Masyita GAFFAR,

Department of Otorhinolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, Hasanuddin University, Hospital Labuang Baji Makassar, Indonesia.

Tel: +603 91456045, Fax: +603 91456675.

E mail: sita_gaffar@yahoo.com

Brunei Int Med J. 2014; 10 (5): 289-292