A Study of Clinico-Radiological and Operative Findings in Childhood Acquired Cholesteatoma

ABSTRACT

AIM: To study the clinical, radiological and operative findings in childhood acquired cholesteatoma. Methods: Totally 50 patients of age less than 18 years with active squamosal chronic otitis media (COM) underwent thorough clinical examination and pre-operative high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of temporal bone followed by surgery. Their clinical examination findings, HRCT temporal findings and operative findings were noted and correlated. Results: According to the present study, commonest age group was 11-15 years, average duration of complaints was 7.9 years, commonest complaint was ear discharge, commonest examination finding was central perforation in tympanic membrane (TM), most patients had moderate conductive hearing loss, on HRCT temporal bone most common finding was soft tissue attenuation in middle ear cavity, per-operatively cholesteatoma was found in middle ear cleft in all the cases. Conclusion: Cholesteatoma is more aggressive especially in children where it has a short course of duration, high incidence of ossicular involvement and is more often associated with complications. High resolution computerized tomographic scan of temporal bone was highly accurate in diagnosing cholesteatoma, assessing the extent of the disease, identifying bony erosion and ossicular chain destruction and detecting destruction of lateral wall of mastoid, dural plate erosion and sinus plate erosion.