Haemangioma of the temporal bone

IntroductionHaemangiomas of the temporal bone are rare tumours and haemangiomas involving the middle ear are even rarer. The exceptional nature of these lesions makes their management particularly complicated.Case reportThe authors report the case of a 16-year-old girl, who presented with an osteolytic lesion of the left petrous temporal bone that proved to be a haemangioma with extension to the middle ear, causing conductive hearing loss.DiscussionSurgical biopsy is essential to establish the diagnosis of haemangioma because imaging alone only rarely provides a definitive diagnosis. Surgery is the reference treatment to prevent recurrence. Arteriography is an essential part of the preoperative assessment in order to limit the risk of bleeding.