A Case of Huge Cholesterol Granuloma Cyst in Temporal Bone with Intracranial Extension / 대한이비인후과학회지

ABSTRACT

Cholesterol granuloma is thought to arise as the consequence of obstruction of the air cell system. Once the ventilation is blocked, negative pressure builds with mucosal hemorrhage and blood extravasation into the air cell system. And the catabolism of blood releases cholesterol, hemosiderin, lipids and fibrin. It is the foreign body reaction of these products that leads to cholesterol granuloma and cholesterol granuloma cyst formation. The cholesterol granuloma and cholesterol granuloma cyst may develop in any portion of the pneumatic system of the temporal bone and small lesions are commonly encountered in the middle ear and mastoid air cells. But, huge cholesterol granuloma cyst is a unusual lesion and cholesterol granuloma cyst with extensive temporal bone destruction and intracranial extension has been rarely reported. Recently we experienced a case of huge cholesterol granuloma cyst with intracranial extension in a 38-year-old female, and report this case with review of literatures.