What is the most common type of cholesteatoma?

Among the middle ear cholesteatoma, the most common type is pars flaccida variety and is seen characteristically in the Prussack’s space, a niche in the epitympanum lateral to the ossicles.

What are the stages of cholesteatoma?

Stage I, single quadrant: no ossicular involvement or mastoid extension. Stage II, multiple quadrants: no ossicular involvement or mastoid extension. Stage III, ossicular involvement: includes erosion of ossicles and surgical removal for eradication of disease; no mastoid extension.

What is primary cholesteatoma?

The primary acquired cholesteatoma occurs as a result of tympanic membrane retraction. As the membrane retracts, the cholesteatoma can damage the ossicles and erode into the aditus ad antrum and the mastoid. Sometimes the facial nerve may be exposed.

What is congenital cholesteatoma?

Congenital cholesteatomas (CCs), though uncommon, have been well documented and described in the literature. Congenital middle ear cholesteatoma is defined as a keratinising epithelial rest that occurs behind an intact tympanic membrane without a prior history of infection or trauma.

What is one of the most common symptoms of a cholesteatoma?

A cholesteatoma usually only affects 1 ear. The 2 most common symptoms are: a persistent or recurring watery, often smelly, discharge from the ear, which can come and go or may be continuous. a gradual loss of hearing in the affected ear.

How is a cholesteatoma diagnosed?

To determine whether you have a cholesteatoma, your doctor will examine the inside of your ear using an otoscope. This medical device allows your doctor to see if there are signs of a growing cyst. Specifically, they will look for a visible deposit of skin cells or a large mass of blood vessels in the ear.

What type of hearing loss is cholesteatoma?

Typically, cholesteatomata patients suffer from conductive hearing loss, i.e., a hearing disorder that only affects the outer ear. If the cholesteatoma is so far advanced that the inner ear is already affected, a so-called sensorineural hearing loss is present.

What is the treatment for cholesteatoma?

Although surgery is rarely urgent, once a cholesteatoma is found, surgical treatment is the only choice. Surgery usually involves a mastoidectomy to remove the disease from the bone, and tympanoplasty to repair the eardrum.

What causes congenital cholesteatoma?

Cholesteatoma can be a birth defect (congenital). It more commonly occurs as a result of chronic ear infection. The eustachian tube helps equalize pressure in the middle ear. When it is not working well, negative pressure can build up and pull part of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) inward.

How fast can a cholesteatoma grow?

If single cells are left, in 9 months they will grow into pearls which are easily visible and removable in a second look surgery.

How serious is cholesteatoma surgery?

The main specific risks of surgery include further hearing loss, tinnitus, imbalance or vertigo, taste dysfunction and facial weakness. Time off work is usually one to two weeks and requires post-operative dressings for one to two months in the short term.

Can a cholesteatoma be cancerous?

Cholesteatomas are not cancerous; however, they can lead to other complications such as hearing loss if they remain untreated. For treatment, an ENT doctor for cholesteatoma Los Angeles, will have to remove the cyst through a surgery.

Is a cholesteatoma an emergency?

Most surgeries for cholesteatoma are elective and can be postponed at this time; whereas, others are emergencies (complicated cholesteatoma with cerebral or Bezold’s abscess, meningitis, sinus thrombosis, facial palsy) and require immediate intervention.

How long is surgery to remove cholesteatoma?

The operation is performed under a general anaesthetic and usually takes 2 to 3 hours. Your surgeon will make a cut in front of or behind your ear. They will remove bone from around the cholesteatoma to see where it has spread to, and remove it. Your surgeon may need to remove the bone of your ear canal.

What is cholesteatoma surgery called?

Combined approach tympanoplasty (CAT) or canal wall up (CWU) mastoidectomy is a surgical procedure performed for the removal of a cholesteatoma in which the wall of the ear canal is left intact. Cholesteatoma is an abnormal growth of skin in the middle ear behind the eardrum.

How long is recovery after cholesteatoma surgery?

Three weeks following surgery the patient will place ear drops on the packing, helping it dissolve. The patient may return to week in 3-7 days. Healing may take 6-8 weeks. Hearing improvement may not be noted for 2-3 months.

Can cholesteatoma return after surgery?

Cholesteatoma may lead to subsequent bone destruction and other complications such as meningitis, brain abscess, labyrinthitis, and facial nerve paralysis. The recurrence rates reported after surgery have been between 7.6% and 57.0% and are related to the length of follow-up.

Can cholesteatoma be cured?

Cholesteatoma treatments often relieve discomfort and restore most of your hearing. Good results are more likely when a healthcare provider catches the cholesteatoma early. But it can come back, even if cholesteatoma surgery is successful.