Spontaneous temporomandibular joint herniation into the external auditory canal Herniac ¸ão espontânea da articulac ¸ão temporomandibular no conduto auditivo externo

protrusion appearedasadome-shapedmasswhenthemouthwas closed (Fig. 1a). When the mouth was open, the masswas retracted anteriorly, leaving an invagination within the (Fig. 1b). A high-resolution computed tomography scan of temporal bone with closed mouth demon- a 3mm defect in theanterior wall of left EACFig. 1c), with a soft-tissue mass extending from the TMJ the EAC (Fig. 1d). Since it is a benign lesion, and fur- the patient did not suffer much inconvenience the aural fullness and otalgia, we offered a conser-vative treatment to the patient, and biopsy was avoided.When the patient returned for follow-up one year later, theotalgia had disappeared, while the aural fullness was almostthe same as before.