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Cholesteatoma - Symptom, Causes, Treatment of Cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma is an uncommon but serious chronic disorder of the middle ear that may develop after longstanding middle. Persistent inflammation causes excessive shedding of the cells that line the cavity of the middle ear, filling it with an increasing mass of hardening debris (the cholesteatoma) that may eventually perforate the eardrum and can cause pressure damage to the inner ear and surrounding bones. Cholesteatoma is a serious but treatable ear condition which can only be diagnosed by medical examination. Persisting earache, ear drainage, ear pressure, hearing loss, dizziness, or facial muscle weakness signals the need for evaluation by an otolaryngologist-head and neck surgeon.
The problem occurs when the dead cells accumulate in the middle ear and can not be expelled. Typically an infection occurs with intermittent drainage from the ear. As this ball of dead cells acumulates it produces enzymes which cause the destruction of bone.
Cholesteatoma leads to progressive loss of hearing and may be complicated by infection of the inner ear (labyrinthitis) and surrounding bones and soft tissues. The choles teatoma must be removed surgically, through either the eardrum or the mastoid bone behind the ear. Surgical reconstruction of the middle ear or use of a hearing aid may be necessary to restore ad-equate hearing.
Whenever surgery is performed for cholesteatoma, there are three possible results of surgery depending on what is found during the operation. If the cholesteatoma is small and can be removed entirely in one piece, the eardrum and the ossicles are reconstructed all in one operation.
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