Cholesteatoma. A clinical and morphological analysis

Area of Science:

• Otolaryngology
• Pathology

Background:

• Aural cholesteatoma is a destructive эпителиальное образование in the middle ear.
• Understanding its preoperative indicators and tissue morphology is crucial for surgical planning and prognosis.

Purpose of the Study:

• To correlate preoperative findings with the morphology of surgically treated aural cholesteatomas.
• To investigate the prevalence of symptoms and radiological findings in relation to cholesteatoma characteristics.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 33 consecutively operated aural cholesteatoma cases.
• Correlation of preoperative clinical data (age, symptoms, hearing status) with intraoperative observations and radiological findings (X-ray).

Main Results:

• Patients spanned all age groups, with 9/33 operated under 15 years.
• Persistent ear discharge was universal; hearing impairment affected 29/33.
• X-ray indicated ossicle demineralization in cases with seemingly normal ossicular chains intraoperatively.
• Only 5/33 showed tympanic membrane retraction without perforation.
• Morphological features were consistent across rapidly and slowly growing cholesteatomas.

Conclusions:

• Preoperative assessment, including X-ray, provides valuable insights into cholesteatoma extent, particularly ossicular involvement.
• Despite varied growth rates, cholesteatoma morphology remains consistent, suggesting underlying pathogenic similarities.