CholesteatomaSymptoms, Doctors, Treatments, Advances & More
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.
LVPG Ear, Nose And Throat-1245 Cedar Crest
Ravi Samy is an Otolaryngologist practicing medicine in Allentown, Pennsylvania. Dr. Samy is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cholesteatoma. He is also highly rated in 24 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Cholesteatoma, Acoustic Neuroma, Schwannoma, Mastoidectomy, and Nerve Decompression. Dr. Samy is board certified in American Board Of Otolaryngology - Neurotology American Osteopathic Association-Otolaryngology - Otolaryngology, Head And Neck Surgery. Dr. Samy is currently accepting new patients.
Simon Angeli is an Otolaryngologist practicing medicine in Miami, Florida. Dr. Angeli is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cholesteatoma. He is also highly rated in 25 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Cholesteatoma, Meniere Disease, Ruptured Eardrum, Glomus Tympanum Tumor, and Mastoidectomy. Dr. Angeli is currently accepting new patients.
UT Southwestern - Otolaryngology Clinic
Brandon Isaacson is a Plastic Surgeon and an Otolaryngologist practicing medicine in Dallas, Texas. Dr. Isaacson is rated as an Elite provider by MediFind in the treatment of Cholesteatoma. He is also highly rated in 33 other conditions, according to our data. His clinical expertise encompasses Glomus Tympanum Tumor, Acoustic Neuroma, Schwannoma, Mastoidectomy, and Endoscopy. Dr. Isaacson is currently accepting new patients.
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...
Published Date: April 29, 2026
Published By: Ashutosh Kacker, MD, FACS, Professor of Clinical Otolaryngology, Weill Cornell Medical College, and Attending Otolaryngologist, New York-Presbyterian Hospital, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. 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.
Weinreich HM, Martin E, Santos F. Chronic otitis media, mastoiditis, and petrositis. In: Francis HW, Haughey BH, Hillel AT, et al, eds. Cummings Otolaryngology. 8th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2026:chap 139.