[Primary cholesteatoma of the external auditory meatus]

Primary cholesteatoma of the external auditory meatus is a rare condition manifested by erosion of the external auditory meatus due to the development of a noncleansing pocket lined by squamous epithelium. The salient features of the disease are: unilateral protracted otalgia and purulent otorrhea in an elderly patient. 2 cases are presented, aged 64 and 80 years, both men, diagnosed by otomicroscopy and CT scan. Treatment is either conservative, by local cleansing of the pocket in the outpatient clinic, or surgical, by wide excision of the pocket and necrotic bone, then covering the area with temporal fascia. When the disease is detected early, treatment is simpler and shorter, and the outcome better.