Otic polyp, also known as aural polyp, is an uncommon polypoid proliferation of chronic inflammatory cells and granulation tissue that develops due to a long-standing inflammatory, often infectious, condition of the middle ear. It is benign in nature, but it is important to rule out underlying cholesteatoma that may be present but obscured. If a cholesteatoma is found, it must be managed surgically.

Otic polyps usually affect young individuals and are more likely to occur in men than women.

Common signs and symptoms include chronic otorrhea, otalgia, aural bleeding, aural fullness, progressive conductive hearing loss, and vertigo. Otic polyps are usually unilateral but may be bilateral.

Otic polyps may be associated with tympanic membrane perforations. Cholesteatomas co-occur with otic polyps in 25%-45% of adult individuals and in 60% of pediatric individuals.

In the pediatric population, otic polyps may be due to chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma, retained tympanostomy tubes, or a neoplasm such as rhabdomyosarcoma.

In adults, otic polyps may be caused by tuberculosis, syphilis, fungal or protozoal infections, Pneumocystis carinii infection in individuals with AIDS, Langerhans cell histiocytosis, or aspirin-exacerbated respiratory disease (AERD), also known as Samter's triad.