[An immunohistochemical study of chronic otitis media]

We use immunohistochemical procedures (OKT6) to detect LCs. We have studied tissue samples from surgical operations in cases of chronic otitis media. The samples were from skin of external ear canal, both the superior wall (close to cholesteatoma) and the inferior wall; we took also samples from the cholesteatoma matrix (epidermal and subepidermal stratum). We found LCs in the skin of external ear canal in similar proportion if the samples were of superior or inferior wall. In cholesteatoma tissue (17 cases) we observed LCs in the epidermal stratum in greater proportion than in skin. Sometimes the LCs form aggregates or "clusters".