Overview and Facts about Cholesteatoma
A cholesteatoma is an abnormal, noncancerous skin growth that can form behind the eardrum in the middle section of the ear. It usually starts as a cyst that sheds layers of old skin, which can damage the inner ear as the dead skin cells accumulate.
Signs and Symptoms of Cholesteatoma
The symptoms of cholesteatoma usually start off as mild but worsen over time as the cyst grows. Your doctor should be consulted right away if you begin to experience any of the following symptoms:
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Foul-smelling liquid draining from the ear
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Aching pain in or behind your ear
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Hearing loss in the affected ear
Causes and Risk Factors of Cholesteatoma
A cholesteatoma can be a birth defect, although this type of cholesteatoma is very rare. The most common type of cholesteatoma is caused byepeated infections in the middle ear.
Having a faulty eustachian tube, which is the tube that leads from the back of the nose to the middle of the ear, can also increase your risk for developing a cholesteatoma.
A cholesteatoma can lead to hearing bone damage and other serious complications, including:
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Vertigo
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Hearing loss
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Paralysis of the nerve for facial movement
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Infections that spread to the space around the brain, which can lead to meningitis or a brain abscess
Tests and Diagnosis of Cholesteatoma
An otolaryngologist, or a doctor specializing in conditions of the ear, nose, and throat, is the most appropriate type of doctor to test for and diagnose a cholesteatoma.
The doctor will use an otoscope, which is a device that has a magnifying glass and light, to look in your ear for the growth and signs of damage caused by it. He or she will also test your hearing to see if it has been affected.
If there aren’t any obvious signs of cholesteatoma and your doctor still suspects its presence, he or she may order a CT scan to obtain images of your skull and the bones of the ear.
Signs and Symptoms for Cholesteatoma
Surgery is the only treatment choice for a cholesteatoma. The procedure involves removing the disease from the bone and repairing any damage done to the eardrum.
Surgery is performed by an otolaryngology specialist and takes about two hours to perform, and most patients can go home the same day.
It is important to follow up regularly with your otolaryngologist to ensure the disease is completely gone because if it remains, the cholesteatoma can grow back. Sometimes a second surgery is required to completely remove the disease.
