Bilateral tympanic cavity infiltration with effusion in a patient with acute myeloblastic leukemia.

A case of acute myeloblastic leukemia with bilateral tympanic cavity infiltration with effusion in addition to right facial and bilateral auditory nerve involvement is described. Tympanotomy demonstrated the presence of leukemic cells in the effusion of bilateral tympanic cavities. While repeated examinations of the cerebrospinal fluid using the cytocentrifuge failed to show any leukemic cells, it was suspected that the bilateral tympanic cavity infiltration was associated with meningeal involvement.