The Prevalence of Internal Auditory Canal Diverticula Is Constant Over a Large Age Range Among Patients Not Imaged for Hearing Loss.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to establish the prevalence of internal auditory canal diverticula spanning all age groups imaged for reasons other than hearing loss and to investigate changes in prevalence with age to determine if it is a finding that develops over time. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 1000 cervical spine computed tomographies obtained in patients age 0-99 years for presence of internal auditory canal diverticula. RESULTS: A total of 405 patients (208 men; 197 women) were included. Internal auditory canal diverticula were identified in 23 patients (5.7%). No statistically significant association between internal auditory canal diverticula and patient age was found (P = 0.68). CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of internal auditory canal diverticula on cervical spine computed tomographies is 5.7%. No change in prevalence was observed with increasing age supporting the hypothesis that internal auditory canal diverticula represent a normal anatomic variant rather than acquired pathology.

A tale of two vulvar angiomyxomas: Two cases and review of literature.

Vulvar angiomyxomas are rare benign mesenchymal neoplasms. Superficial and Aggressive angiomyxomas are two distinct phenotypes that present similarly to other more common vulva-perineal pathologies. Albeit both angiomyxomas carry a risk of recurrence, especially in the setting of incomplete resection, simple excision is insufficient for Aggressive angiomyxoma. It requires wide local excision because of its unique potential for local invasion, infiltration of the paravaginal and pararectal tissue, and more distant metastasis. Here, we present a case of Superficial angiomyxoma and a case of Aggressive angiomyxoma to highlight the diagnostic challenges and management strategies of each tumor. In both cases, angiomyxomas were initially misdiagnosed because of their rarity and nonspecific presentation. Magnetic resonance imaging is the modality of choice for evaluation due to inherent higher spatial resolution of soft tissue anatomical details. Early diagnosis of Aggressive angiomyxoma can prevent incomplete excision and recurrence, spare additional surgery, and offer hormonal therapy options.