Adult-onset congenital cholesteatoma in the hypotympanum initially presenting as Bell's palsy: A case report.

INTRODUCTION: Cholesteatoma is a rare disease characterized by the accumulation of keratinized squamous epithelial cells in the middle ear or mastoid cavity. Vertigo and facial palsy, which are rare complications, may indicate erosion into the semicircular canals or the fallopian canal. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 40-year-old woman presented to our clinic with progressive right-sided hearing loss over 5 years (primary concern). Approximately 10 years ago, the patient had developed acute right-sided facial weakness with no additional symptoms. A neurologist at another hospital had diagnosed her condition as Bell's palsy and treated it accordingly. DIAGNOSIS: Adult-onset congenital cholesteatoma in the hypotympanum. INTERVENTION: Combined endoscopic and microscopic removal of the cholesteatoma. OUTCOMES: Physical examination revealed slight improvement in right-sided peripheral facial palsy. LESSON: Routine eardrum examination is recommended for patients presenting with isolated peripheral facial palsy. If necessary, a patient should be referred to an otologist for further evaluation and treatment.

Risk factors for occurrence and progression of external auditory canal cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVE: External auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC) is characterized by retained squamous debris within the external canal and variable amounts of localized bone destruction. The etiology of primary EACC remains incompletely understood. This study was conducted to analyze the clinical features and backgrounds of patients with primary EACC and to clarify the risk factors for the occurrence and progression of EACC. METHODS: Sixty-nine ears of 62 patients diagnosed with primary EACC were included in this study (EACC group). Additionally, 74 ears of 60 patients with chronic otitis media (COM) with perforation who underwent tympanoplasty or myringoplasty were included as controls (COM group). We retrospectively investigated the clinical features, life history, and medical history of the patients in both groups. In addition, to investigate the risk factors for progression of EACC, we compared the clinical features and medical history of patients with stage IV (advanced) disease versus stage I + II (mild) disease. RESULTS: The inferior wall of the bony canal was the main structure affected in patients with primary EACC of all stages. The following factors were significantly more common in the EACC than COM group: older age, female sex, left-sided disease, osteoporosis, renal dysfunction, anemia, and treatment with bisphosphonates. Among these, the most significant factor associated with EACC was renal dysfunction (odds ratio, 11.4; 95 % confidence interval, 2.32-55.9). The significant factors observed in patients with stage IV disease were younger age, male sex, posterior wall involvement, and otorrhea. Surgical treatment was required for more than half of the patients with stage III and IV EACC. CONCLUSION: Patients with renal dysfunction are at risk of primary EACC. In particular, younger patients and relatively younger elderly patients with posterior wall involvement have a risk of progression to advanced-stage EACC. Canalplasty should be considered in patients with EACC who have these risk factors to prevent progression to advanced-stage disease.

Cerebellar Abscess Induced by Cochlear Fistula due to Chronic Suppurative Otitis Media.

Cochlear fistulas with cholesteatoma as the primary disease have been reported frequently in the relevant literature. However, there are no reports of cochlear fistula without cholesteatoma due to chronic suppurative otitis media with intracranial complications. We report a case of cochlear fistula due to chronic otitis media that was diagnosed after the onset of a cerebellar abscess. The patient was a 25-year-old man with severe autism. He was admitted to our hospital with otorrhea from his left ear, emesis, and impaired consciousness. Computed tomography (CT) of the head showed left suppurative otitis media, left cerebellar abscess, and brainstem compression due to hydrocephalus. Right extra-ventricular drainage and brain abscess drainage were urgently performed. The next day, foramen magnum decompression and abscess drainage with partial resection of the swollen cerebellum were performed for decompression purposes. He was subsequently treated with antimicrobial therapy, but magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed an increase in the size of the cerebellar abscess. Re-examination of the temporal bone CT scans revealed a bony defect in the left cochlear promontory angle. We assumed that the cochlear fistula was responsible for the otogenic brain abscess. Thus, the patient underwent surgical closure of the cochlear fistula. After the operation, the cerebellar abscess lesion gradually shrank, and his general condition stabilized. Cochlear fistula should be considered in the management of patients with inflammatory middle ear disease associated with otogenic intracranial complications in the middle ear.

[Partial sequestration of the labyrinth in a child with chronic suppurative otitis media with cholesteatoma]. / Chastichnaya sekvestratsiya labirinta u rebenka s khronicheskim gnoinym srednim otitom s kholesteatomoi.

A clinical case of a 16-year-old child with chronic suppurative otitis media with cholesteatoma complicated by partial labyrinth sequestration is presented. The case describes is a rare disorder. Computed tomography of temporal bones consistent with intraoperative data was decisive in establishing the diagnosis and the surgery extent.

Intratympanic membrane cholesteatoma after traumatic tympanic membrane perforation: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Intratympanic membrane cholesteatoma presents as an asymptomatic, white, round mass on the tympanic membrane, and is usually detected incidentally in children. CASE PRESENTATION: A 12-year-old Korean boy visited our otorhinolaryngology clinic for a whitish mass on the right tympanic membrane. He had a history of traumatic tympanic membrane perforation in the right ear that had occurred 1 year prior, which had healed well with a paper patch placement. The mass was completely removed under local anesthesia during surgery with a microscope. The mass was on the outer epithelial layer of the right tympanic membrane and did not invade the middle fibrous and inner mucosal layers. Cholesteatoma was diagnosed on the basis of histopathology. CONCLUSION: Intratympanic membrane cholesteatoma may not induce symptoms or invade the middle ear because it can grow outwards into the external auditory canal. However, intratympanic membrane cholesteatoma can grow over time, and then after growth, it can compress the tympanic membrane and advance into the middle ear, which can cause symptoms such as hearing loss. Intratympanic membrane cholesteatoma in children should be carefully evaluated and followed, and surgical removal should be considered, even for asymptomatic cases, to minimize potential damage and hearing loss.

Taste Alteration in External Auditory Canal Cholesteatoma: Indicator of Impending N VII Affection.

INTRODUCTION: External auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC) is a rare disease, with an estimated incidence of approximately 1:1,000 adult and 1.6:1,000 pediatric otologic patients. Systematic studies of chronic ear disease and taste alteration prior to surgery are rare; in fact, there are no such studies for EACCs. Therefore, we describe chorda tympani nerve (CTN) dysfunction and the related clinical consequences in EACC patients. METHODS/STUDY DESIGN: Between 1992 and 2021, we retrospectively analyzed the symptoms, signs, and radiological and intraoperative descriptions of CTN involvement in 73 patients. Liquid taste tests and, since 2009, Taste StripsTM as well as an olfactory screening test (Smell DiskettesTM) have been performed for all symptomatic patients and, when feasible, all other EACC patients. RESULTS: Ten of 73 patients complained subjectively of dysfunction, and 8 showed abnormal taste test results. Four patients complained of olfactory dysfunction (3 cases with pathological taste tests). Gustatory dysfunction was most frequent in radiogenic EACC cases (n = 4), followed by postoperative EACC (n = 3). Two postoperative patients were asymptomatic despite abnormal test results. Rarely, patients with idiopathic (n = 2) and posttraumatic (n = 1) EACC showed acute taste dysfunction that was confirmed in each with abnormal test results. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION: CTN dysfunction often developed asymptomatically in chronic ears, except for idiopathic and posttraumatic EACCs under previous healthy middle ear conditions. Taste disturbance is not a cardinal symptom of EACC, but objective testing suggests that up to one out of 10 EACC patients with advanced disease may experience regional gustatory dysfunction prior to surgery. Especially in context of a new and acute presentation, regional taste dysfunction may alert the clinician of potential progressive EACC invasion and danger to the facial nerve.

Congenital cholesteatoma clinical and surgical management.

OBJECTIVES: Congenital cholesteatoma (CC) is accompanied by hearing loss and an intact tympanic membrane. However, the hearing loss is usually associated with otitis media, and the diagnosis of CC is frequently delayed in patients with an intact tympanic membrane. This study aimed to describe the clinical characteristics, management and outcomes of patients with CC. METHODS: We reviewed patients with cholesteatoma from January 2011 to May 2020 and selected those meeting the congenital cholesteatoma criteria. The primary outcome measures included presenting symptoms, surgical findings, stage of disease, recurrence rate and hearing outcomes. RESULTS: We reviewed 1646 medical files of cholesteatoma patients and identified 18 patients with congenital cholesteatoma, the mean age at operation was 8.13 ± 1.36 years (range 3-18). The unilateral hearing loss included moderate 13 patients (72.2%), severe 4 patients (22.2%), and slight 1 (5.6%). There were 14 cases of conductive hearing loss (77.8%) and 4 cases of mixed hearing loss (22.2%). The mean course of disease was 1.41 ± 0.05 years (range 0.4-3). The surgical management was oto-endoscope exploratory tympanotomy in 1（5.6%）, canal wall up mastoidectomy in 12 (66.7%) and canal wall down in 5 (27.8%), with 17 (94.4%) ossicular replacements. Seventeen (94.4%) patients presented with Potsic stage III-IV. Recurrence occurred in 5.6% of patients in stage III and 11.1% of patients in stage IV. After surgery, patients achieved normal voice tone hearing. CONCLUSIONS: To diagnose it early, congenital cholesteatoma should be considered as a possible aetiology for hearing loss patients with an intact tympanic membrane. In our study, most patients were diagnosed at III and IV stage. This highlights the need to promote awareness of the disease among primary physicians in the community healthcare system. Surgical management with removal of the cholesteatoma and reconstruction of the tympanum and ossicular chain is an effective treatment.

Healthcare consumption among subjects with otitis media undergoing middle ear surgery-analysis of cost drivers.

PURPOSE: To map healthcare utilized by subjects with chronic otitis media, with or without cholesteatoma and perform a cost analysis to determine key drivers of healthcare expenditure. METHODS: A registry study of 656 adult subjects with chronic otitis media that underwent a middle ear surgery between 2014 and 2018. Healthcare contacts related to all publicly funded specialist ENT care, audiological care and primary care for a disease of the ear and mastoid process were extracted. The data are extracted from the Swedish National Patient Registry on subjects that reside in western Sweden. RESULTS: Subjects made 13,782 healthcare contacts at a total cost 61.1 million SEK (6.0 million EUR) between 2014 and 2018. The mean cost per subject was 93,075 SEK (9071 EUR) and ranged between 3971 SEK (387 EUR) and 468,711 SEK (45,683 EUR) per individual. In the most expensive quartile of subjects, mean cost was 192,353 SEK (18,747 EUR) over the 5-year period. These subjects made 3227 ENT contacts (roughly four each year) and 60% of total costs were associated with in-patient ENT care. CONCLUSION: Patients with chronic otitis media are associated with high ENT resource utilization that does not diminish after surgical intervention and the disease places a long-term burden on healthcare systems. Significant costs are attributed to revision surgeries, indicating that these patients could be managed more effectively. In many such cases, reoperation cannot be avoided, especially due to recurrence of cholesteatoma. However, in some patients, when the indication for subsequent surgery is only hearing improvement, alternative options, such as hearing aids or implants, should also be considered. This is especially true in difficult cases, where revision ossiculoplasty is likely.

Supratentorial and cervical extensions of a giant middle ear cholesteatoma.

INTRODUCTION: Cholesteatomas are slowly progressive and well demarcated lesions but if not treated, they can spread to the inner ear and brain and lead to serious neurological complications. CASE REPORT: A 59-year old male was referred to our practice. His initial imaging showed that a huge intracranial mass has spread to the neck. Beyond surgical exploration, a sizable temporal bone lesion with extensive keratinisation was observed which later on histopathological exam turned out to be a cholesteatoma. CONCLUSIONS: Cholesteatomas may be aggressive lesions by rapidly growing and gross destructive features. In such cases, more attempts should be given to ruling out any malignant neoplastic tissues.

Experimental cholesteatoma: a comparison between spontaneous and induced models.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the incidence and the histopathological aspect of spontaneous and two induced Mongolian gerbils' models of cholesteatoma: External Auditory Canal (EAC) obliteration model and the Auditory Tube (AT) cauterization model. METHODS: Fifty-four ears of 27 animals were divided into EAC obliteration, AT cauterization, and control groups and histologically assessed for cholesteatoma incidence and classification at intervals of 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks. RESULTS: Cholesteatoma was diagnosed in 30 of the 53 ears evaluated with a significantly higher incidence in groups that received some type of intervention (p<0.0001). It was not possible to histologically distinguish cholesteatomas of the same stage between the study groups. CONCLUSION: Although we observed a significant increase in cholesteatoma incidence with the two methods used when compared to the control group, all developed cholesteatomas were apparently identical from a histological point of view.

Cholesteatoma in Congenital Aural Atresia and External Auditory Canal Stenosis: A Systematic Review.

OBJECTIVE: Patients with congenital external auditory canal (EAC) abnormalities are at risk of developing cholesteatoma and often undergo surveillance imaging to detect it. The aims of this systematic review are to determine the incidence of cholesteatoma in patients with congenital aural atresia (CAA) and patients with congenital EAC stenosis and to investigate the most common age of cholesteatoma diagnosis. This information will help clinicians decide which patients require surveillance scanning, as well as the timing of imaging. DATA SOURCES: Ovid MEDLINE, Embase, CENTRAL, and Web of Science databases. REVIEW METHODS: A systematic literature review following the PRISMA guidelines was performed. The data sources were searched by 2 independent reviewers, and articles were included that reported on CAA or congenital EAC stenosis with a confirmed diagnosis of cholesteatoma. The selected articles were screened separately by 3 reviewers before reaching a consensus on the final articles to include. Data collection on the number of patients with cholesteatoma and the age of diagnosis was performed for these articles. RESULTS: Eight articles met the inclusion criteria. The incidence of cholesteatoma was 1.7% (4/238) in CAA and 43.0% (203/473) in congenital EAC stenosis. The majority of patients with congenital EAC stenosis that developed cholesteatoma were diagnosed at age <12 years. CONCLUSION: CAA is associated with a low risk of cholesteatoma formation, and surveillance imaging is unnecessary in asymptomatic patients. EAC stenosis is strongly associated with cholesteatoma, and a surveillance scan for these patients is recommended prior to 12 years of age with close follow-up into adulthood.

Facial canal dehiscence, dural exposure, and labyrinthine fistula in middle ear cholesteatoma and mastoiditis.

PURPOSE: To analyze the prevalence and associations of facial canal dehiscence (FCD), dural exposure, and labyrinthine fistula in chronic otitis media (COM) with and without cholesteatoma. METHODS: This was a retrospective study performed in an academic medical center. Patients who received tympanoplasty with mastoidectomy for COM with and without cholesteatoma were included. The prevalence of FCD, dural exposure, and labyrinthine fistula in COM with and without cholesteatoma (mastoiditis) and their relationships were analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 189 patients, including 107 (56.6%) females and 82 (43.4%) males, with 191 ears were included. There were 149 cases (78.0%) of cholesteatoma and 42 patients (22.0%) with mastoiditis. FCD was noted in 27.5% of patients with cholesteatoma and 9.5% of patients with mastoiditis. Dural exposure was found in 21 patients (14.1%) with cholesteatoma and 4 patients (9.5%) with mastoiditis. Eleven patients (7.4%) with cholesteatoma and 1 patient (2.4%) with mastoiditis had labyrinthine fistula. Patients with a labyrinthine fistula had nearly a fivefold greater chance (OR = 4.924, 95% CI = 1.355-17.896, p = 0.015) of having FCD than those without a fistula. There was a positive correlation between dural exposure and labyrinthine fistula (P = 0.011, Fisher's exact test). CONCLUSION: FCD, dural exposure, and labyrinthine fistula are common complications in COM. These complications are more frequently observed in patients with cholesteatoma than in patients with mastoiditis. Surgeons should pay more attention to the treatment of COM.

Diagnosis and treatment of congenital stenosis of external auditory canal with external auditory canal cholesteatoma complicated with exudative effusion in the middle ear and mastoid process.

BACKGROUND: The optimal timing for surgery to promote postoperative recovery in children with congenital stenosis of the external auditory canal with external auditory canal cholesteatoma, who are susceptible to exudative inflammation of middle ear and mastoid process, is still uncertain. OBJECTIVES: To investigate the treatment of congenital stenosis of external auditory canal with external auditory canal cholesteatoma complicated with exudative inflammation. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 45 patients with congenital stenosis of external auditory canal with external auditory canal cholesteatoma complicated with mastoiditis. Based on whether effusion had resolved at the time of surgery, the patients were divided into two groups. Pure-tone audiometry tests were performed before and after surgery for both groups. RESULTS: The average postoperative duration of dry ear was 36.38 days in Group 1 and 47.90 days in Group 2 (p < 0.05). Among patients who underwent hearing reconstruction, the average air conduction threshold decreased by 15-36 dBHL in Group 1 and by 7-22 dBHL in Group 2 (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS AND SIGNIFICANCE: The postoperative outcomes of dry ear and hearing improvement can be enhanced by performing operation after effusion resolution in cases of congenital external auditory canal stenosis with external auditory canal cholesteatoma exudative inflammation.

Presentation, Management, and Hearing Outcomes of Labyrinthine Fistula Secondary to Cholesteatoma: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVE: The current study systematically reviewed the literature to compare auditory outcomes of patients treated for labyrinthine fistula (LF) based on characteristics of disease and surgical management. DATABASES REVIEWED: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science. METHODS: Original series (at least five cases) published from 2000 reporting management and hearing results of LF secondary to cholesteatoma were included. Proportion and odds-ratio (OR) meta-analyses were conducted through inverse variance random-effects models based on logit transformation. RESULTS: The prevalence of LF is estimated to be 7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 5-9%). Fistulae involving the lateral semicircular canal (90%; 95% CI, 87-93%) and larger than 2 mm (53%; 95% CI, 43-64%) were common, whereas membranous involvement was less frequent (20%; 95% CI, 12-30%). Complete removal of the cholesteatoma matrix overlying the LF was mostly applied. Bone conduction (BC) preservation was frequently achieved (81%; 95% CI, 76-85%); new-onset postoperative anacusis was rarely reported (5%; 95% CI, 4-8%). A higher chance of BC preservation was associated with sparing the perilymphatic space (OR, 4.67; 95% CI, 1.26-17.37) or membranous labyrinth (OR, 4.56; 95% CI, 2.33-8.93), exclusive lateral semicircular canal involvement (OR, 3.52; 95% CI, 1.32-9.38), smaller size (<2 mm; OR, 3.03; 95% CI, 1.24-7.40), and intravenous steroid infusion (OR, 7.87; 95% CI, 2.34-26.42). CONCLUSION: LF occurs in a significant proportion of patients with cholesteatoma. In the past two decades, complete removal of the cholesteatoma matrix followed by immediate sealing has been favored, supported by the high proportion of BC preservation. Hearing preservation depends primarily on characteristics of the LF, and specific surgical strategies should be pursued. Intraoperative and postoperative intravenous steroid infusion is recommended.

Cholesteatoma With Cochlear Fistula and Carotid Dehiscence.

Cholesteatomas are non-neoplastic, invasive lesions created by the accumulation of keratinized squamous epithelium in the temporal bone. If left untreated, its expansion may cause local destruction of the surrounding structures, eventually leading to inner ear fistula, dehiscence of tegmen and possible intracranial pathology, and facial nerve paralysis. Surgical resection is the mainstay of curative treatment. We hereby present a case of a giant cholesteatoma in a 62-year-old patient who presented with a right-sided hemifacial spasm with later paralysis who was treated with botulinum toxin injection by a neurologist. CT scan imaging showed a very large cholesteatoma with involvement of the carotid canal, cochlea, and geniculate ganglion. The patient underwent transmastoid and subarcuate approach for resection which led to marked improvement of her symptoms.

Middle ear cholesteatoma prevalence in over 3,600 children with Turner Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the prevalence of middle ear cholesteatoma in children with Turner syndrome (TS) as compared to the general population using a large database. METHODS: The TriNetx Analytics Network, a federated health research network that aggregates the de-identified electronic health record data of over 78 million patients across the United States, was queried for patients 18 years old or younger with TS. Patients in this group with any occurrence of a diagnosed middle ear cholesteatoma were recorded and reported. RESULTS: Out of 3,682 children 18 years old or younger with diagnosed TS, 1.47% (95% CI: 1.10%-1.91%) had a history of middle ear cholesteatoma. Out of 12,836,624 children 18 years or younger without TS, 0.09% (95% CI: 0.09%-0.09%) had a history of diagnosed middle ear cholesteatoma. The relative risk for middle ear cholesteatoma in children with TS was 16.74 (95% CI: 12.84-21.83). The relative risk for diagnosed cleft palate among children with TS was 8.56 (95% CI: 6.67-10.98) which, because of the Eustachian tube dysfunction in this population, may contribute to the cholesteatoma risk. CONCLUSION: The rate of diagnosed middle ear cholesteatoma was found to be 16 times higher in patients with Turner syndrome versus children without Turner syndrome. Of studies examining middle ear cholesteatoma in children with TS, the present study has the largest sample size thus providing reliable evidence for prevalence in this population. Clinical monitoring for cholesteatoma should be especially rigorous and frequent in this population.

Impact of Sclerotic Lesions on the Surgical Outcome of Cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVE: Cholesteatoma is occasionally accompanied by excessive calcification and presumably has different osteogenic dynamics compared to noncholesteatomous chronic otitis media. Cholesteatoma-related sclerotic lesions through the temporal bone can pose manipulatory difficulties, possibly leading to worse surgical outcomes or complications. Therefore, we compared surgical outcomes of cholesteatomas with and without sclerotic lesions. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective cohort study. SETTING: Tertiary academic medical center. PATIENTS: Consecutive ears with acquired cholesteatomas requiring primary resection between January 2009 and December 2019. The ears followed up for <1 year were excluded. INTERVENTIONS: Tympanoplasty with/without mastoidectomy. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Prevalence and location of sclerotic lesion, comorbid fistulae, postoperative air-bone gap, recidivism, and complications. RESULTS: Overall, 19 (6.4%) of 299 ears had sclerotic lesions. More than two-thirds (68.4%) of sclerotic lesions were located adjacent to the lateral semicircular canal (LSC). Among ears with sclerotic lesions adjacent to the LSC, 46.2% had a comorbid fistula in the LSC. The prevalence of labyrinth fistula was significantly greater in ears with sclerotic lesions (42.1%) than in ears without sclerotic lesions (5.0%) (p < 0.0001, Fisher's exact test). Sensorineural hearing deterioration was significantly higher in ears with sclerotic lesions than in ears without (p = 0.0004, Fisher's exact test). Multivariate logistic regression analysis demonstrated that the presence of sclerotic lesions was a significant prognostic factor for residual disease (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 6.820 [2.055-22.633], p = 0.0017). CONCLUSIONS: Surgeons should be conscious of preoperative identification of sclerotic lesions adjacent to one of the semicircular canals, possibly leading to postoperative sensorineural hearing deterioration or residual cholesteatoma.

Colesteatoma: influencia de la técnica quirúrgica y el estadio EAONO/JOS en los resultados audiológicos / Cholesteatoma: Influence of surgical technique and EAONO/JOS stage on audiological results

Antecedentes y objetivo: El tratamiento del colesteatoma es quirúrgico en la mayoría de los casos. Cuando está indicado, es preferible optar por una técnica quirúrgica reconstructiva con el doble propósito de eliminar la enfermedad y preservar o mejorar la audición del paciente. En 2017 se publicó una nueva clasificación del colesteatoma por parte de la European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology/Japanese Otological Society (EAONO/JOS). El objetivo de este estudio es determinar la influencia que tanto la técnica quirúrgica empleada como la clasificación de la enfermedad tienen en los resultados auditivos de los pacientes. Materiales y métodos: Se realiza un estudio retrospectivo que incluye pacientes intervenidos de colesteatoma mediante una técnica reconstructiva entre 2012 y 2017. A partir de la tomografía computarizada (TC) prequirúrgica de cada paciente se estadifica la enfermedad según la clasificación de la EAONO/JOS. Los datos audiológicos obtenidos mediante audiometría tonal liminar (ATL) pre y postoperatoria son analizados en función de la técnica quirúrgica empleada y según el estadio de la enfermedad. Resultados: Se incluyen 143 pacientes con umbrales auditivos sin diferencias significativas antes de la cirugía. Al año de la intervención, el umbral medio auditivo (pure tone average [PTA]) aéreo y el umbral diferencial auditivo (UDA) medio mejoran significativamente (p=0,01 y p=0,001) en toda la muestra. Los pacientes intervenidos con técnica cerrada en dos tiempos presentan mejores resultados en el PTA aéreo postoperatorio y UDA medio posquirúrgico que los operados mediante técnica abierta (p=0,007 y p=0,014). El PTA aéreo postoperatorio y el UDA medio postoperatorio mejoran en los pacientes intervenidos con técnica cerrada en dos tiempos quirúrgicos (p=0,001 y p=0,013), en comparación con la audición previa que presentaban. El UDA medio postoperatorio también mejora significativamente en los pacientes operados mediante técnica abierta (p=0,008). Conclusiones: Todas las técnicas quirúrgicas reconstructivas producen una mejora significativa de la audición al año de la intervención. En nuestro estudio esta mejora es significativamente superior con una timpanoplastia con mastoidectomía cerrada en dos tiempos quirúrgicos.(AU)

Introduction and objective: The treatment of cholesteatoma is surgical in most cases. When it is indicated, it is preferable to choose a reconstructive surgical technique with the dual purpose of eradicating the disease and preserving or improving the patient's hearing. In 2017, the European Academy of Otology and Neuro-Otology/Japanese Otological Society (EAONO/JOS) published a new cholesteatoma classification. The aims of this study are to determine the influence of the surgical technique use and this classification on patient's hearing outcomes. Methods: A retrospective study that include patients who underwent reconstructive surgery of cholesteatoma between 2012 and 2017 is carried out. Based on pre-surgical computed tomography (CT) images, disease is staged according to the EAONO/JOS classification. Hearing outcomes obtained by pre and postoperative pure tone audiometry are analysed according to the surgical technique used and according to the stage of the disease. Results: 143 patients with no statistically significant differences in hearing thresholds before surgery are included. One year after surgery, all the patients’ airbone pure tone average (PTA) and mean differential auditory threshold have improved significantly (P = .01 and P = .001). Those patients who undergo tympanoplasty with two-stage canal wall up mastoidectomy presente better postsurgical air PTA and postsurgical mean differential auditory threshold outcomes (P=.007 and P=.014) than those patients who underwent tympanoplasty with canal wall down mastoidectomy. Moreover, the patients who underwent tympanoplasty with two-stage canal wall up mastoidectomy had improved airbone PTA and mean differential auditory threshold one year after the surgery with statistical significance (P=.001 and P=.013). The mean differential auditory threshold is also better (P=.008) in the patients who undergo tympanoplasty with canal wall down mastoidectomy one year after the procedure. Conclusions: Reconstructive surgical techniques improve hearing one year after surgery. In our study, this improvement is significantly greater with tympanoplasty with two-stage canal wall up mastoidectomy.(AU)

Epidemiologic, Imaging, and Clinical Issues in Bezold's Abscess: A Systematic Review.

Bezold's abscess is a deep neck abscess related to otomastoiditis. Due to the insidious clinical presentation, diagnosis can be extremely challenging, leading to delays in treatment and possible life-threatening complications. The literature currently provides a fragmented picture, presenting only single or small number of cases. The present study aims at examining our experience and the literature findings (based on PRISMA criteria) of 97 patients with Bezold's abscess, summarizing their epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical presentation, imaging findings, and treatments. Bezold's abscess is found at any age, with overt male prevalence among adults. The clinical presentation, as well as the causative pathogens, are strikingly heterogeneous. Otomastoiditis and cholesteatoma are major risk factors. A clinical history of otitis is commonly reported (43%). CT and MRI are the main diagnostic tools, proving the erosion of the mastoid tip in 53% of patients and the presence of a concomitant cholesteatoma in 40%. Intracranial vascular (24%) or infectious (9%) complications have also been reported. Diagnosis might be easily achieved when imaging (CT) is properly applied. MRI has a limited diagnostic role, but it might be crucial whenever intracranial complications or the coexistence of cholesteatoma are suspected, helping to develop proper treatment (prompt antibiotic therapy and surgery).