Acquired cholesteatoma of the ear; comparative analysis of histopathological findings in adults, children and recurrent cases

ABSTRACT

To compare the histopathological characteristics of acquired cholesteatoma in adults, children and recurrent cases. A retrospective analysis of 60 histopathological specimens for 60 patients aged 9 to 63 years who underwent otologic surgery for chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma was carried out at King Hussein Medical Centre between January 2006 till July 2010. Patients were divided into three groups as follows; group A patients aged > 16 years with no history of previous ear surgery, group B patients aged > 16 years and had history of previous otologic surgery for cholesteatoma and group C patients aged analysis was performed for specimens. Results for group A were compared with results of groups B and C separately. After histopathological analysis; atrophy was present in 26[84%] specimens in group A, 10 [71%]specimens in group B and 11[73%] specimens in group C. Twenty- seven [87%] specimens had acanthosis in group A, and [80%] in group C. Basal cell hyperplasia was present in 29 [94%] specimens in group A, 100% of group B, and 97% of group C. Epithelial cones were present in 20 [65%], 10 [71%], and 10 [67%] of our study groups respectively. Peri- matrix inflammation was present in 30[97%] of group A and 100% of both groups B and C. Results showed that there were no statistically significant differences between our study groups. Although the sample size in this study was small but the statistical analysis showed that the histopathological characteristics of acquired cholesteatomas did not differ significantly between adults, children and recurrent cases. The characteristics of the peri-matrix should be analyzed more, especially in children to find if there is correlation with the behavior and aggressiveness of the disease