Surgical Option for External Auditory Canal Cholesteatoma: A Case Report.

External Auditory Canal Cholesteatomas (EACC), is an exceptionally rare condition with a prevalence of only 0.1-0.5% among new patients1. EACC are known to possess bone eroding properties, causing a variety of complications, similar to the better-known attic cholesteatomas. We describe here the novel surgical management of a case of EACC. She is 38-year-old female who presented with otorrhea for 6 months. Clinical examination and radiological investigations suggested the diagnosis of an external auditory canal cholesteatoma. The patient underwent modified radical mastoidectomy with type 1 tympanoplasty with meatoplasty. Post-operatively, the patient showed marked clinical improvement.

External Ear Disease: Keratinaceous Lesions of the External Auditory Canal.

Keratosis obturans (KO) and external auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC) are two distinct keratinaceous lesions of the external ear. This article reviews the signs, symptoms, pathophysiology, workup, and treatment of each. Patients with either pathology can often be managed in the clinic with debridement; however, EACC is more likely to involve osteonecrosis and require more extensive operative management if disease is not confined to the canal on account of the bony erosion characteristic of cholesteatoma. If required for extensive disease, surgical approaches to both pathologies are similar.

External Auditory Canal Cholesteatoma Involving the Vertical Segment of the Facial Nerve: A Rare Case Report.

External auditory canal cholesteatomas (EACC), are rare, more so when they affect the facial nerve in its vertical mastoid segment. EACC are known to possess bone eroding properties, causing a variety of complications, similar to the better-known attic cholesteatomas. We describe here the novel surgical management of a case of EACC, affecting only the vertical segment of the facial nerve, causing seventh nerve palsy at the time of presentation. A 46 year old male, complaining of right-sided otalgia and otorrhea, presented with grade IV facial palsy and associated mild conductive hearing loss. Clinical examination and radiological investigations suggested the diagnosis of an external auditory canal cholesteatoma. The patient underwent a trans-canal facial nerve decompression along with the cholesteatoma removal. Post-operatively, the patient showed marked clinical improvement with the facial palsy reverting to grade II. EACC involving only the vertical segment of the facial nerve can be approached via the trans-canal route, in contrast to the conventional postauricular approach, with a good clinical outcome. To the best of our knowledge, our case pertains to the only case of EACC with complications, managed by trans-canal facial nerve decompression.

Keratosis obturans: A rare cause of facial nerve palsy.

Keratosis obturans, caused by the deposition of desquamated keratin plug in the external auditory canal can present with facial palsy. Young patients presenting with facial palsy, earache, and gradual hearing loss should be suspected for Keratosis obturans.

Contemporary management of keratosis obturans: a systematic review.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to examine the medical literature regarding the natural history and management of keratosis obturans. METHOD: PubMed was queried via the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses protocol, and the methodological quality of each study was assessed using the Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies criteria. RESULTS: Fifty-one studies were abstracted, and dual investigator screening resulted in five retrospective studies for final analysis. All studies included patients afflicted with either unilateral (n = 75) or bilateral keratosis obturans (n = 8). The definition of keratosis obturans was present in three studies: a desquamated keratin plug within the external auditory canal. Mean and median Methodological Index for Non-Randomized Studies scores were 9.5 and 9.5, respectively. All patients underwent keratosis obturans exenteration with microscopy. Two studies reported an outcome instrument to evaluate endpoints: marked stillette and audiometry. No complications were observed with follow-up periods from 3 weeks to 3.5 years. CONCLUSION: This comprehensive review highlights a lack of published evidence relating to keratosis obturans. However, it appears keratosis obturans treatment is safe and efficacious with identifiable clinical practice patterns.

Spontaneous External Auditory Canal Cholesteatoma: Case Series and Review of Literature.

External auditory canal cholesteatoma is a rare disease. Main symptoms of this entity are ear discharge and dull chronic ear pain and significant findings are bony erosion of the external canal with keratin debris accumulation. Inadequate diagnosis and delay in the treatment of this condition can leads to serious complications. We are presenting our experience of eight patients of spontaneous EACC treated by surgical management. As the spontaneous EACC is a rare condition, the aim of the study is to share the experience of diagnosis and management of spontaneous EACC.

Keratosis Obturans: A Disease of the Tropics?

Keratosis obturans appears to be an obscure and relatively uncommon entity, even in literature search of journals and reference texts, so much so that there is not even any prevalence or incidence statistics available. However, the condition did not appear to be as uncommon based on our clinical observations. We have managed to obtain 64 patients representing 67 ears with keratosis obturans in our study period of about 18 months with a pattern of occurrence during this period. Humid weather seemed to play a role in the frequency of its appearance during certain period in our observation. There also appears to be a correlation between the severity of symptoms (predominantly pain and hearing loss) and the presenting appearance of the condition, i.e., presence or absence of granulation tissue, as well as that the degree of difficulty in exenteration of the keratosis obturans (matrix and content) depending on the expansion of the bony canal. Our figures showed the majority of the patients are females and young individuals, the majority of them occur unilaterally. The condition also appear to stop short of involving the tympanic membrane with only the bony canal being expanded with the surrounding oedema creating an apparent "canal stenosis".

Clinical characteristics of keratosis obturans and external auditory canal cholesteatoma.

OBJECTIVE: Keratosis obturans (KO) and external auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC) have been considered separate entities. While the disorders are distinct, they share many overlapping characteristics, making a correct diagnosis difficult. In the present study, we compared their clinical characteristics and radiological features to clarify the diagnostic criteria. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Academic medical center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: The clinical data of 23 cases of EACC and KO were retrospectively reviewed. The following clinical characteristics were compared between the 2 groups: sex, age, onset of symptoms, follow-up period, audiometric results, and imaging findings on temporal bone computed tomography including bilaterality, location, and the presence of extension to adjacent tissue. RESULTS: The mean age of the EACC group was significantly older than that of the KO group. All of the cases of EACC occurred unilaterally, and bilateral occurrences of KO were observed in 4 of 9 cases. All of the lesions in the KO group were circumferential, and no lesion in the EACC group invaded the superior canal wall. No significant differences in symptoms, such as acute otalgia, otorrhea, and hearing loss, were noted between the 2 groups. The incidence of conductive hearing impairment more than 10 dB was higher in the KO group than in the EACC group. CONCLUSION: Thus, KO and EACC are 2 distinct disease entities that share common features in clinical characteristics except for predominant age and bilaterality. Conservative treatment with meticulous cleaning of the lesion was successful in most cases with a long-term follow-up.

Keratosis obturans y colesteatoma del conducto auditivo externo: caso clínico y revisión de la literatura / Keratosis obturans and external auditory canal cholesteatoma: case report and review of the literature

La keratosis obturans y el colesteatoma del conducto auditivo externo son dos condiciones caracterizadas por la acumulación patológica de material queratinizado en el oído externo. El primero se presenta con un crecimiento circunferencial que ocluye y remodela el conducto, usualmente sin erosionarlo, mientras que el segundo se caracteriza por erosionar un área del conducto, con necrosis y secuestro óseo. El diagnóstico diferencial entre estas dos entidades es importante, ya que difieren en la presentación clínica, el comportamiento biológico y las complicaciones asociadas. Esto puede verse reflejado en cambios en el manejo terapéutico de estos pacientes.

Keratosis obturans and external auditory canal cholesteatoma are two conditions characterized by the pathological accumulation of keratinized debris in the external ear. The former shows a circumferential growth that occludes and remodels the canal, usually without erosion, whereas the latter is characterized by erosion of part of the canal, with necrosis and bone sequestration. Establishing a differential diagnosis between both diseases is important, because they differ in clinical presentation, biological behavior and associated complications. This can be reflected in the therapeutic management of these patients.