The chronic ear: A case report of bilateral cholesteatoma in a 10-year-old boy

Abstract

• Cholesteatoma is a rare condition affecting 9-12.6 adults and 3-15 children per 100,000 per annum [1–4], with a more aggressive presentation in the paediatric population [5].
• Intermittent otorrhea (ear discharge) is the presenting complaint in over half of cholesteatoma patients [6, 7]. The peak incidence of cholesteatoma is 5-15 years of age [8] which overlaps significantly with a period of high incidence in otitis media [9] and externa [10], diseases that often present the same way as cholesteatoma. This results in diagnosis that may take several years.
• Left untreated, cholesteatoma can cause significant lasting damage in the form of deafness, vertigo, facial paralysis, meningitis, and brain abscesses which may prove fatal [11].
• Current treatment options are limited to surgical excision with the aim to establish a safe and manageable ear, while maintaining hearing is secondary. Improving surgical instrumentation has allowed a better success rate, however, revision surgeries remain a mainstay of practice. In practical terms, this means that those affected by bilateral disease often undergo surgery 4 or more times [12]. This represents a significant burden for patients.
• The decision about the exact surgical approach (canal wall up vs canal wall down) is a careful balancing act of safety versus functionality, and the pros and cons must be weighed in light of available evidence and the skill of the surgeon [13].