Comparative Analysis of Recidivism After Endoscopic and Microscopic-Based Cholesteatoma Resection

1) To analyze outcomes of cholesteatoma resection utilizing postauricular microscopic and endoscopic ear surgery (EES) approaches.2) To analyze predictors of residual and recurrent cholesteatoma.

Retrospective cohort study.

Tertiary referral center.

Three hundred seventy-five adult and pediatric patients with cholesteatoma (2012-2017).

Patients underwent surgical resection of cholesteatoma with EES (n = 122) and microscopic (n = 253) approach.

Residual cholesteatoma, recurrent cholesteatoma, second-look procedures.

The endoscopic cohort included significantly more pediatric cases (p = 0.0008). There was no difference in laterality, gender distribution, congenital or acquired cholesteatoma, and revision cases between the cohorts. Out of 122 EES cases, 16 (13%) developed residual disease and 9 (7%) developed recurrent disease. Of 253 microscopic cases 16 (6%) developed residual disease while 11 (4%) developed recurrent disease. Second look procedures were more commonly used in EES cohort (50 vs 18%). Single predictor analysis revealed 12 predictors for residual disease and 5 for recurrent disease. Multivariable model identified pediatric case distribution and higher disease stage to be significant predictors for both residual (p = 0.04, 0.007) and recurrent disease (p = 0.02, 0.01). EES approach was associated with a weak significance for residual disease (p = 0.049) but not recurrent disease (p = 0.34).

EES approach for cholesteatoma resection seems to perform similarly to microscopic approach with no difference in rates of recurrent disease. However, it is associated with a higher rate of residual disease; this may be a reflection of a greater rate of second look procedures done in this group.