Delayed endolymphatic hydrops （DEH） is a rare disease that causes vertigo and is often misdiagnosed as other vertigo diseases. This article reports on a patient with vertigo who was easily misdiagnosed. The patient was a middle ear cholesteatoma complicated by labyrinthine fistula （LF）; however, his vertigo was episodic vertigo, which could not be explained solely by LF causing labyrinthitis. The possibility of endolymphatic hydrops was suspected, which was confirmed by inner ear magnetic resonance gadolinium imaging. This is the first reported case of middle ear cholesteatoma complicated by LF and DEH. The patient underwent surgical resection of the cholesteatoma and three semicircular canal obstructions at the same time. During two years postoperative follow-up, the patient did not experience a recurrence of vertigo. When diagnosing vertigo diseases, a careful history of vertigo is of utmost importance.
Humans ; Endolymphatic Hydrops/diagnosis* ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear/complications* ; Vertigo/complications* ; Labyrinth Diseases/complications* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging/adverse effects* ; Semicircular Canals

Objective:For tympanosclerosis patients with ossicular chain fixation, we use ossicular chain bypass technique and evaluate its long-term effects. Methods:From June 2017 to June 2019, 147 patients with tympanosclerosis who underwent middle ear surgery with otoscopy in Yinchuan First People's Hospital were reviewed. The subjects were divided into three groups according to the implemented operation plan, 51 cases in the ossicular chain mobilization group（OCM）, 56 cases in the ossicular chain bypass reconstruction group（OCB）, and 40 cases in the malleus-incus complex resection reconstruction group（MICR）. Through a three-year follow-up, the medium and long-term effects of different operation plans were compared and analyzed. Results:There was no significant difference among the three groups in the incidence of tympanic membrane perforation, delayed facial nerve palsy, and the dispatch and displacement of PORP. The incidence of tympanic membrane retraction pocket or cholesteatoma after operation in OCB group（0） was significantly lower than that in OCM group（11.76%） and MICR group（7.5%）（P<0.05）. At 12 months after operation, ΔABG of OCB group and MICR group were better than that in the OCM group（P<0.05）. At 36 months after operation, ΔABG of OCB group was better than that in the OCM group（P<0.05）, and there was no significant difference between OCB group and MICR group. The audiological performance of patients with epitympanic sclerosis（ETS） at 12, 24 and 36 months after operation was better than that of patients with posterior tympanosclerosis（PTS） and total tympanosclerosis（TTS）（P<0.05）. Conclusion:Compared with patients undergoing ossicular chain mobilization and malleus-incus complex resection for ossicular chain reconstruction, patients with tympanosclerosis undergoing bypass technique have better and stable hearing prognosis in medium and long term. This technique can effectively prevent the formation of retracted pocket and cholesteatoma in patients with tympanosclerosis after operation.
Humans ; Tympanosclerosis ; Ear Ossicles/surgery* ; Ear, Middle ; Malleus/surgery* ; Cholesteatoma ; Retrospective Studies ; Ossicular Prosthesis ; Treatment Outcome

Objective:To analyze the clinical diagnosis, treatment ，and surgical timing of otogenic intracranial complications. Methods:The clinical data of 11 patients with intracranial complications with ear symptoms as the first manifestation in Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Qilu Hospital of Shandong University（Qingdao） from December 2014 to June 2022 were collected, including 8 males and 3 females, aged from 4 to 69 years. All patients had complete otoendoscopy, audiology, imaging and etiology examination, and the diagnosis and treatment plan was jointly developed through multidisciplinary consultation according to the critical degree of clinical symptoms and imaging changes. Among the 11 patients, 5 cases were treated with intracranial lesions first in neurosurgery department and middle ear lesions later in otolaryngology, 3 cases of meningitis, were treated with middle ear surgery after intracranial infection control, 1 case was treated with middle ear lesions and intracranial infection simultaneously, and 2 cases were treated with sigmoid sinus and transverse sinus thrombosis conservatively. They were followed up for 1-6 years. Descriptive statistical methods were used for analysis. Results:All the 11 patients had ear varying symptoms, including ear pain, pus discharge and hearing loss, etc, and then fever appeared, headache, disturbance of consciousness, facial paralysis and other intracranial complication. Otoendoscopy showed perforation of the relaxation of the tympanic membrane in 5 cases, major perforation of the tension in 3 cases, neoplasia in the ear canal in 1 case, bulging of the tympanic membrane in 1 case, and turbidity of the tympanic membrane in 1 case. There were 4 cases of conductive hearing loss, 4 cases of mixed hearing loss and 3 cases of total deafness. Imaging examination showed cholesteatoma of the middle ear complicated with temporal lobe brain abscess in 4 cases, cerebellar abscess in 2 cases, cholesteatoma of the middle ear complicated with intracranial infection in 3 cases, and sigmoid sinus thrombophlebitis in 2 cases. In the etiological examination, 2 cases of Streptococcus pneumoniae were cultured in the pus of brain abscess and cerebrospinal fluid, and 1 case was cultured in streptococcus vestibularis, Bacteroides uniformis and Proteus mirabilis respectively. During the follow-up, 1 patient died of cardiovascular disease 3 years after discharge, and the remaining 10 patients survived. There was no recurrence of intracranial and middle ear lesions. Sigmoid sinus and transverse sinus thrombosis were significantly improved. Conclusion:Brain abscess, intracranial infection and thrombophlebitis are the most common otogenic intracranial complications, and cholesteatoma of middle ear is the most common primary disease. Timely diagnosis, multidisciplinary collaboration, accurate grasp of the timing in the treatment of primary focal and complications have improved the cure rate of the disease.
Female ; Humans ; Male ; Brain Abscess/therapy* ; Cholesteatoma ; Deafness/etiology* ; Hearing Loss/etiology* ; Lateral Sinus Thrombosis/therapy* ; Retrospective Studies ; Thrombophlebitis/therapy* ; Child, Preschool ; Child ; Adolescent ; Young Adult ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Aged ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear/therapy* ; Central Nervous System Infections/therapy* ; Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial/therapy* ; Ear Diseases/therapy*

Objective: To introduce a new self-developed irrigation device(SID) that does not employ a sheath or an irrigation-suction system and evaluate to its efficiency in transcanal endoscopic ear surgery (TEES) for attic cholesteatoma. Methods: 38 patients who were subjected to TEES for attic cholesteatoma between October 2019 to June 2021 were included in this study, including 17 males and 21 females with an average age of (38.6±11.9) years. SID and underwater continuous drilling were used during operation. Width of endoscope and irrigation speed were measured when SID was applied. The operating time, surgical view and complications were compared between two groups. Results: The width of the endoscope was 3.5-4.6 mm in diameter and the irrigation speed was 20-40 ml/min when SID was used. SID cleaned the lens at the tip of the endoscope and created a clear field of view during TEES. The operation time was (86.6±18.1) min. The skin of the external ear canal was found injured during operation in 3 patients, but there were no complications such as necrosis of the flap, stenosis of external ear canal, sensorineural hearing loss, facial paralysis and cerebrospinal fluid leakage. Conclusions: SID is simple and enhances the efficacy of TEES, providing a new irrigation choice in TEES for attic cholesteatoma.
Humans ; Male ; Female ; Adult ; Middle Aged ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear/surgery* ; Suction ; Sudden Infant Death ; Otologic Surgical Procedures ; Ear, Middle/surgery*

Objective: To elucidate the clinical manifestations of temporal bone tympanic plate fracture and the correlation between treatment time after injury and its prognosis, and to discuss the importance of early treatment of tympanic fracture. Methods: Retrospective analysis was carried out on the clinical data of 15 patients(17 ears)with temporal bone tympanic plate fracture from March 2006 to July 2019. The course of disease was less than 1 month (initial stage) in 7 cases (7 ears), 1 month to 6 months (middle stage) in 2 cases (3 ears), and 6 months or more (late stage) in 6 cases (7 ears). The symptoms, signs, CT findings, pure tone audiometry results, surgical methods and clinical efficacy of each group were summarized. Results: Most patients with temporal bone tympanic plate fracture were referred to otology department by maxillofacial surgery. Fracture occured indirectly with the chin or zygomatic region as the direct stress point. Thirteen of the 15 patients had mental region wounds or scars, and 14 patients had external acoustic canal bleeding immediately after injury. In the initial-stage group, hearing was mostly unchanged, while in the middle and late-stage groups, hearing loss was mainly caused by conduction factors. In the initial stage group, 6 cases/7 cases were cured by external acoustic canal packing; External acoustic canal stenosis or atresia occurred in 2 cases in the middle-stage group and were cured by external acoustic canal plasty. All the 6 patients in the late-stage group had external acoustic canal stenosis or atresia, among whom 5 patients with external acoustic canal cholesteatoma were cured by external acoustic canal plasty, and the other one patient with middle ear cholesteatoma was cured by modified radical mastoidectomy and tympanoplasty after external acoustic canal plasty for three times. Conclusions: Temporal bone tympanic plate fracture is a special type of temporal bone fracture. In the early stage of temporal bone tympanic fracture, bleeding of the external acoustic canal is the main symptom, and hearing is normal mostly. Advanced conductive deafness may result from external acoustic canal stenosis and/or cholesteatoma formation later. Bleeding of the external acoustic canal and irregular bulge of the anterior wall of the external acoustic canal with mental region wound are important signs for early diagnosis of temporal bone fracture. Temporal bone tympanic fracture should be paid attention to, early detection and timely treatment can avoid external acoustic canal stenosis and atresia.
Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear/surgery* ; Ear Canal ; Humans ; Mastoid ; Mastoidectomy ; Retrospective Studies ; Temporal Bone/diagnostic imaging* ; Treatment Outcome ; Tympanoplasty

Objective: To determine the stage of middle ear cholesteatoma of patients who underwent middle ear surgery at the Southern Philippines Medical Center from January to December 2019, based on European Academy of Otology and Neurotology / Japan Otological Society (EAONO/JOS) system. Methods: Design: Case Series. Setting: Tertiary Government Hospital. Participants: A total of 42 charts were included in the study. Results: Of the 42 cases evaluated, congenital cholesteatoma was seen in 4 while acquired cholesteatoma was noted in 38, (further subdivided into 34 retraction pocket cholesteatoma and 4 non-retraction pocket/traumatic cholesteatoma). A majority (57%) had Stage II cholesteatoma (mass occupying at least two sub-sites in the middle ear) at the time of surgery. Eight (19%) had stage I cholesteatoma (confined to one sub-site), five (12%) had stage III cholesteatoma evidenced by extracranial complications such as subperiosteal abscess and erosion of the semi[1]circular canals. Stage IV cholesteatoma was seen in 5 (12%) presenting with intracranial abscess. Canal wall down mastoidectomy was the most common surgical approach performed. The sinus tympani (S2 ) was the most commonly involved difficult to access site across all classifications of middle ear cholesteatoma (60%). Conclusion Our study provided an initial profile of the stages and severity of middle ear cholesteatoma in our institution based on actual surgical approaches. Such a profile can be the nidus for a database that can help us to understand disease prevalence and compare local surgical practices with those in the international community.
Cholesteatoma ; Cholesteatoma ; Ear, Middle ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear

OBJECTIVES: The traditional canal wall down mastoidectomy (CWDM) procedure commonly has potential problems of altering the anatomy and physiology of the middle ear and mastoid. This study evaluated outcomes in patients who underwent modified canal wall down mastoidectomy (mCWDM) and mastoid obliteration using autologous materials. METHODS: Our study included 76 patients with chronic otitis media, cholesteatoma, and adhesive otitis who underwent mCWDM and mastoid obliteration using autologous materials between 2010 and 2015. Postoperative hearing air-bone gap and complications were evaluated. RESULTS: During the average follow-up of 64 months (range, 20 to 89 months), there was no recurrent or residual cholesteatoma or chronic otitis media. No patient had a cavity problem and anatomic integrity of the posterior canal wall was obtained. There was a significant improvement in hearing with respect to the postoperative air-bone gap (P<0.05). A retroauricular skin depression was a common complication of this technique. CONCLUSION: The present study suggests that our technique can prevent various complications of the classical CWDM technique using autologous tissues for mastoid cavity obliteration. It is also an appropriate method to obtain adequate volume for safe obliteration.
Adhesives ; Cartilage ; Cholesteatoma ; Depression ; Ear, Middle ; Follow-Up Studies ; Hearing ; Humans ; Mastoid ; Methods ; Otitis ; Otitis Media ; Physiology ; Skin

Cholesteatoma is common disease entity within the middle ear cavity but is rarely found in the paranasal sinuses, especially the maxillary sinus. We experienced a case of cholesteatoma of the maxillary sinus without history of previous trauma or operation. The patient was not improved by functional endoscopic sinus surgery. The mucosa of the maxillary sinus was removed through the Caldwell-Luc approach, and heavy saline irrigation was performed. After reoperation, the postoperative period was uneventful, and there was no sign of recurrence on endoscopic examination.
Cholesteatoma ; Ear, Middle ; Humans ; Maxillary Sinus ; Mucous Membrane ; Paranasal Sinuses ; Postoperative Period ; Recurrence ; Reoperation

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of prostaglandin E2 receptor subtypes, E-prostanoid (EP) 1–4 receptors, in acquired cholesteatoma and its possible role in the pathologic process of this disorder. METHODS: Specimens of human acquired cholesteatoma were obtained from 29 patients and 19 skin biopsies of normal external auditory canal were as controls. The mRNA and protein expression of EP receptors was assessed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction, immunohistochemistry and Western blot. RESULTS: In acquired cholesteatoma, EP1–EP4 receptors were mainly expressed on squamous epithelium and subepithelial infiltrated inflammatory cells. In external auditory canal skin, EP1–EP4 receptors were mainly expressed on squamous epithelium and glandular epithelium. The expression of EP4 receptor on mRNA and protein levels were significant lower in acquired cholesteatoma compared with controls. EP1–EP3 receptors had no significant difference between the experimental and control group. CONCLUSION: Low expression of EP4 may play a crucial role in the pathologic process of inflammation reaction and bone destruction in acquired cholesteatoma, but not EP1, EP2, or EP3 receptors.
Biopsy ; Blotting, Western ; Cholesteatoma ; Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear* ; Dinoprostone* ; Ear Canal ; Ear, Middle* ; Epithelium ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Inflammation ; Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction ; RNA, Messenger ; Skin

OBJECTIVES: Chronic otitis media (COM) is followed by irreversible tissue damage and destruction of the middle ear structures, with the possibility of complications under the maintenance of inflammation. Inflammatory mediators such as cytokines play a crucial role in the initial stage of inflammation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of the polymorphisms in two innate immunity/inflammation cascade genes from interleukin-1 (IL-1) gene cluster with COM with regard to cholesteatoma. METHODS: In the cross-sectional case-control study, DNA samples were collected from 189 patients with COM and 119 controls from a population of Serbia. The +3953 C/T (rs1143634), TaqI polymorphism in interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) gene and 86 bp variable number tandem repeat (VNTR, rs2234663) polymorphism in the IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1RA) gene were analyzed by polymerase chain reaction. RESULTS: The IL-1β TaqI polymorphism was not significantly different in patients compared with the control group. The significant difference between patients and controls was observed for both, genotype and allele frequencies of IL-1RA VNTR polymorphism (chi-square P < 0.01). We found that carriers of IL-1RA allele 2 (odds ratio, 0.47; 95% confidence interval, 0.29 to 0.76; P=0.004) have a favorable association with COM, using multivariate logistic analysis that included both polymorphisms, age and sex. The IL-1RA allele frequency distribution was significantly different with regard to cholesteatoma. CONCLUSION: The carriers of allele 2 of VNTR IL-1RA polymorphism had a decreased odds ratio for COM, which is in agreement with findings in other inflammatory disease and its previous association with higher IL-1RA levels. Possible down-regulation of IL-1 mediated proinflammatory signaling pathways via IL-1RA in COM as well as results of our study should be further investigated and replicated.
Alleles* ; Case-Control Studies ; Cholesteatoma ; Cytokines ; DNA ; Down-Regulation ; Ear, Middle ; Gene Frequency ; Genotype ; Humans ; Inflammation ; Interleukin 1 Receptor Antagonist Protein* ; Interleukin-1 ; Interleukin-1beta ; Multigene Family ; Odds Ratio ; Otitis Media* ; Otitis* ; Polymerase Chain Reaction ; Polymorphism, Genetic ; Serbia ; Tandem Repeat Sequences