Necrotizing otitis externa is a progressive infectious disease involving the external auditory canal and even the skull base, which can lead to serious complications and even death if not treated in time. In this paper, the latest advances in etiology, pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, diagnosis and treatment were reviewed based on previous literature, providing reference for clinical diagnosis, treatment and future research.
Humans ; Otitis Externa/therapy* ; Skull Base/pathology* ; Ear Canal/pathology* ; Head

Auditory brainstem responses (ABR) have been used as a powerful and the most common objective tool to evaluate hearing sensitivity and to diagnose the types of hearing loss and neurological disorders, through the auditory peripheral pathway to a central level of the brainstem, since 1971. Although bone-conduction (BC) ABR could be an alternative to air-conduction (AC) ABR, as the former overcomes some limitations of the latter, the majority of clinicians rarely utilize it due to a lack of knowledge and no routine test administration. This review presents the weaknesses of AC ABR that apply to all clinical population, and discusses the development of BC ABR. The optimal placements of bone oscillators to obtain favorable clinical outcomes in infants, children, and adults, and the appropriate stimuli for BC ABR are examined. While providing absolute thresholds and latencies of BC ABR based on previous studies compared to AC ABR, this review includes clinical data of infants and young children with both normal hearing in terms of maturation, and with pathology such as congenital external auditory canal atresia. We recommend the future clinical application of BC ABR for candidacy as well as for patients with BC hearing implants.
Adult ; Brain Stem ; Child ; Ear Canal ; Evoked Potentials, Auditory, Brain Stem ; Hearing ; Hearing Loss ; Humans ; Infant ; Nervous System Diseases ; Pathology

Adult ; Cholesterol ; Dilatation ; Ear Canal ; Ear Neoplasms ; surgery ; Ear, Middle ; pathology ; Eustachian Tube ; Female ; Granuloma ; surgery ; Humans ; Male ; Mastoidectomy ; Middle Aged ; Treatment Outcome

OBJECTIVE: In order to investigate the interaction between the cytokines and keratinocyte and determine the role of cytokines in hyperproliferative of chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma, we observe the expression of matrix metalloproteinase 9 (MMP9), vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), keratinocyte growth factor (KGF) and its receptor (KGFR) in middle ear cholesteatoma. METHOD: We examined the expression of MMP9, VEGF, KGF, KGFR and Ki-67 by immunohistochemistry in 50 specimens from chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma and 15 specimens from the normal skin of external auditory meatus. Ki-67 as an evaluation of cholesteatoma proliferation markers were used to detect the keratinocyte proliferative activity. RESULT: (1) The expression of VEGF and MMP9 in cholesteatoma specimens was higher than normal skin, and the difference was statistically significant (t = 4.914, P < 0.01; t = 3.284, P < 0.01). (2) The expression of KGF and KGFR in middle ear tissues was higher than normal skin, and the difference was statistically significant (t = 4.814, P < 0.01; t = 3.104, P < 0.01); The expression of KGF and KGFR increased, and the expression of Ki-67 also correspondly increased in the cholesteatoma. (3) In the tissue MMP9 and VEGF were positive. Mean optical density increased as well. KGF expression also increased accordingly. CONCLUSION MMP9, VEGF, KGF and KGFR proteins played an important role in hyperproliferation of cholesteatoma tissues. VEGF, MMP9 and KGF had a synergistic effect in hyperproliferation of cholesteatoma tissues.
Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; pathology ; Cytokines ; metabolism ; Ear Canal ; metabolism ; Ear, Middle ; metabolism ; Fibroblast Growth Factor 7 ; metabolism ; Humans ; Immunohistochemistry ; Keratinocytes ; cytology ; Ki-67 Antigen ; metabolism ; Matrix Metalloproteinase 9 ; metabolism ; Otitis Media ; pathology ; Receptor, Fibroblast Growth Factor, Type 2 ; metabolism ; Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A ; metabolism

Ear Canal ; pathology ; Ear Neoplasms ; diagnosis ; Humans ; Myxoma ; diagnosis ; Neoplasm Recurrence, Local ; diagnosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the reconstruction method of lateral attic wall with tragal cartilage and temporalis fascia graft. And analyze the postoperative result of its clinical application. METHOD: From Jan 2005 to Jul 2014, 45 patients whose middle ear disease were limited to attic received this surgery in our department. Among 31 cases of cholesteatoma otitis media and 14 cases of external auditory canal cholesteatoma were included. In order to expose the attic fully, we operated epitympanotomy through retroauricular incision and then removed the scutum and lateral attic bone wall. After eliminating the lesions, we reconstructed the lateral attic bone wall with tragal cartilage, covered the cartilage with temporalis fascia and then repaired the tympanic membrane and external ear canal skin. After surgery, all patients were followed up at 10 days, 1 month, 2 months, 6 months and 1 year. RESULT: Two months after surgery, 45 patients' achieved one-stage wound healing. Six months later, all of the patients' operation area had epithelized completely. After 1 year, 37 patients had recovered the normal shapes and stable audition; 7 cases patients have different level tympanic membrane retraction; 1 patient suffered from tympanic membrane retraction and recurrent cholesteatoma. CONCLUSION With regard to the lesion limited to the attic, we can remove it by operating epitympanotomy through retroauricular incision, and then reconstruct the lateral attic wall with tragal cartilage and temporalis fascia. By the support of the cartilage, we can keep the epitympanic aeration, reduce the retraction of pars flaccida membrana tympani, and maintain the fundamental shape of lateral attic wall.
Cartilage ; transplantation ; Cholesteatoma ; surgery ; Ear Auricle ; Ear Canal ; Ear Diseases ; surgery ; Ear, Middle ; pathology ; Fascia ; transplantation ; Humans ; Mastoid ; Otitis Media ; surgery ; Tympanic Membrane ; surgery ; Tympanic Membrane Perforation ; surgery

OBJECTIVE: Differences in clinical features, especially facial nerve canal leision between cholesteatoma in external auditory meatus and middle ear were compaired. METHOD: A retrospective clinical analysis was made. Clinical data included 125 cases of middle ear cholesteatoma with facial nerve canal leision and 28 cases of cholesteatoma occurred in external auditory canal from 2003-01-2014-08 in our hospital. RESULT: Clinical course of cholesteatoma in external auditory canal was 4.97 ± 7.51 years, course of middle ear cholesteatoma was 16.60 ± 14.42 years (P < 0.01). 21 cases (75%) of external auditory canal cholesteatoma were manifested as pneumatic mastoid and 110 cases (88%) of middle ear cholesteatoma were manifested as diploic mastoid respectively. 22 cases (78.6%) of facial nerve canal damage-in mastoid segment in cholesteatoma of external auditory meatus and 76 cases (60.8%) of facial nerve canal damage in tympanic segment in cholesteatoma of middle ear were observed (P < 0.01). The incidence rate of ossicular errosion in middle ear chol-esteatoma was significantly higher than that in external auditory meatus (P < 0.01). The incidence of semicircular canal defects in middle ear cholesteatoma (30.4%), was significantly higher when comparing to the incidence (10.7%) in cholesteatoma of external auditory meatus (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The site of facial nerve canal lesion in middle ear cholesteatoma and cholesteatoma of external auditory meatus were different. More attention should be paid before and during operation to avoid facial nerve injury, including physical examinations, especial otologic exams, radiological reading and careful operation.
Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear ; diagnosis ; pathology ; Ear Canal ; pathology ; Ear, Middle ; pathology ; Facial Nerve Injuries ; complications ; Humans ; Incidence ; Mastoid ; pathology ; Retrospective Studies ; Semicircular Canals ; pathology

OBJECTIVE: To describe our experience in the clinical manifestation and treatment of malignant tumors of the external and middle ear. METHOD: The study reviewed 39 patients between 1994-2011 in our hospital, including 15 pinna tumors, 18 external canal tumors and 6 middle ear tumors. 23 males and 16 females were enrolled in this study. The mean age of patients at the time of surgery was 59. Radiotherapy or radiotherapy and chemotherapy were the only possible treatment in 6 cases. Thirty-three patients were treated surgically, and 9 patients also received radiotherapy after surgery. RESULT: All of the patients had been followed up over 3 years, except for 1 case of external canal and 1 case of middle ear tumor. The 3-year survival of pinna, external canal and middle ear tumors were 86.7%, 82.4% and 60.0% respectively. At the last follow up, the pinna tumors showed that the survival rate was 100% in T1, T2 and Tx stage, and 0% in T4 stage; the external canal tumors showed that the survival rate was 90% in T1 stage, and 66.7% in T2, T3 stage; the middle ear tumors showed that the survival rate was 100% in T1 and T2 stage, 0% in T3 stage. CONCLUSION The T staging system is for an important prognostic factor, and it is important for an early diagnosis and radical surgery to achieve a better therapeutical result.
Ear Auricle ; pathology ; Ear Canal ; pathology ; Ear Neoplasms ; pathology ; Ear, Middle ; pathology ; Female ; Humans ; Male ; Neoplasm Staging ; Retrospective Studies ; Survival Rate

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical manifestations, diagnosis, therapy and prognosis of Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH) of the temporal bone in children. METHOD: Seven children with LCH of the temporal bone n our hospital were retrospectively summed up from April 2009 to April 2014. The patients were followed up 1-5 years, their clinical manifestations, imaging findings, diagnosis, therapy and prognosis were studied. Correlation between clinical classifications and prognosis was also analyzed. RESULT: Among the 7 patients, 4 were boys and 3 were girls. 5 cases belonged to the single system group and 2 cases belonged to the multisystem group. The most common clinical characters were temporal tumor, otorrhea, otalgia, hearing loss and granulation of external auditory canal. CT of the temporal bones showed extensive osteolytic destructions with diffuse soft tissure density, without border sclerotization. The cases were. received different therapies. Followed up for 1-5 years, 4 cases were regressive, 1 case kept stable, while 2 cases showed progressive. The two boys then received standard treatment combined steroids with vinblastine. The prognosis in the multisystem group was significantly different from the single system group (P < 0.05). CONCLUSION The clinical manifestations of LCH vary a lot. The diagnosis is based on histological and immunophenotypic examination of lesion tissue. The main therapy includs surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy. The prognosis of the single system group is much better than the multisystem group.
Child ; Combined Modality Therapy ; Deafness ; etiology ; Ear Canal ; pathology ; Ear Diseases ; etiology ; Female ; Histiocytosis, Langerhans-Cell ; diagnosis ; pathology ; therapy ; Humans ; Male ; Prognosis ; Retrospective Studies ; Steroids ; therapeutic use ; Temporal Bone ; pathology

Rhabdomyosarcoma is a kind of skeletal muscle ifferentiation tendency of primitive mesenchymal malignant tumor. It is common in pediatric malignant pleomorphic rhabdomyosarcoma, and its prognosis is poor. It is easy to relapse, and its predilection sites in head and face were around the eyes, the external auditory meatus, nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses. We should take comprehensive treatment including surgical operation, radiotherapy and chemotherapy drug combination for embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma.
Child ; Ear Canal ; pathology ; Humans ; Infant ; Nasal Cavity ; pathology ; Orbit ; pathology ; Paranasal Sinuses ; pathology ; Prognosis ; Rhabdomyosarcoma, Embryonal ; diagnosis ; therapy