title: Clinical characteristics of cholesteatoma.
abstract: Clinical characteristics of 99 consecutive patients with acquired and perioperatively established aural cholesteatoma were compared with those of 81 patients with chronic otitis without cholesteatoma (controls). The patients answered a questionnaire, and preoperative and perioperative clinical observations were recorded. There were no presenting symptoms or clinical signs that significantly distinguished the cholesteatoma patients. However, these patients had a significantly higher incidence (45%) of previous middle ear surgery than the control patients (30%). The cholesteatomas were not evident until the time of surgical exploration in as many as 38% of cases. Therefore, surgical exploration appears to be the safest way to identify middle ear cholesteatoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Sahlgrenska Hospital, University of Göteborg, Sweden.
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Aberg
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Westin
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tjellström
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edström
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000175:diagnosis*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*