Learn About Cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma is a type of skin cyst that is located in the middle ear and mastoid bone in the skull.
Chronic ear infection - cholesteatoma; Chronic otitis media - cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma can be a birth defect (congenital). It more commonly occurs as a result of chronic ear infection.
The eustachian tube helps equalize pressure in the middle ear. When it is not working well, negative pressure can build up and pull part of the eardrum (tympanic membrane) inward. This creates a pocket or cyst that fills with old skin cells and other waste material.
The cyst may become infected or get bigger. This can cause the breakdown of some of the middle ear bones or other structures of the ear. This can affect hearing, balance, and possibly the function of the facial muscles.
Symptoms include:
- Dizziness
- Drainage from the ear, which can be chronic
- Hearing loss in one ear
- Sensation of ear fullness or pressure
Cholesteatomas very often continue to grow if they are not removed. Surgery is most often successful. However, you may need the ear cleaned by a health care provider from time to time. Another surgery may be needed if the cholesteatoma comes back.
UT Southwestern - Otolaryngology Clinic
Brandon Isaacson is an Otolaryngologist and a Plastic Surgeon in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Isaacson is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cholesteatoma. His top areas of expertise are Glomus Tympanum Tumor, Acoustic Neuroma, Schwannoma, Mastoidectomy, and Endoscopy.
Mass Eye And Ear, Otolaryngology?Head And Neck Surgery
Elliott Kozin is an Otolaryngologist in Boston, Massachusetts. Dr. Kozin is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cholesteatoma. His top areas of expertise are Hearing Loss, Cholesteatoma, Otitis, Mastoidectomy, and Myringotomy.
LVPG Ear, Nose And Throat-1245 Cedar Crest
Philosophy of care | My goal is treating others as I would like to be treated; the Golden Rule still works. Every person I meet (including colleagues, staff and students) needs to be treated with kindness, compassion and dignity. | Why I entered medicine | I have the ability to change lives and to save lives. | Community involvement | My wife, daughters and I are very active in the church; our faith is incredibly important to us. I believe it is important to build bridges to the community with volunteer work and outreach. | Personal interests | I enjoy working out, hiking, walking the dogs and reading. Dr. Samy is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cholesteatoma. His top areas of expertise are Cholesteatoma, Acoustic Neuroma, Schwannoma, Mastoidectomy, and Nerve Decompression.
Complications may include:
- Brain abscess (rare)
- Erosion into the facial nerve (causing facial paralysis)
- Meningitis
- Spread of the cyst into the brain
- Hearing loss
Contact your provider if ear pain, drainage from the ear, or other symptoms occur or worsen, or if hearing loss occurs.
Prompt and thorough treatment of chronic ear infection may help prevent cholesteatoma.
Summary: Adult patients referred to the ENT surgery department of the Hospices Civils de Lyon with cholesteatoma that had never been operated on. All patients will benefit from surgical management for cholesteatoma initially in the operating room under general anesthesia. The surgical technique (closed technique) is the reference technique for the management of cholesteatoma in adults. It involves a cartil...
Summary: The goal of this interventional study is to learn about the effect of mastoid process status and the method of ossicular reconstruction on the results of the procedure transcanal endoscopic management of patients with localized atticoantral cholesteatoma
Published Date: May 02, 2024
Published By: Josef Shargorodsky, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
Player B. Otitis media. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 680.
Thompson LDR. Tumors of the ear. In: Fletcher CDM, ed. Diagnostic Histopathology of Tumors. 5th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 30.