Clinical and histopathological study of an inflammatory aural polyp and its relation to underlying cholesteatoma

ABSTRACT

Aural polyp is a sign of chronicity of otitis media. Cholesteatoma as underlying disease may be difficult to be diagnosed. Clinical, radiological and bacteriological examinations did not help much to diagnose the underlying cholesteatoma. Histological examination was a good predictor of the presence or absence of cholesteatoma in some cases. The aural polyp that showed excess polymorphs and haemosiderin in its stroma and was uncovered with surface epithelium had a probability of 89.6% to be associated with cholesteatoma. This probability was raised to 93% if it showed, in addition to the previous findings, giant cell formation and dystrophic calcification. High -incidence of underlying cholesteatoma, complications and recurrence with granulation polyp with acute exacerbation necessitates surgical exploration