title: Cholesteatoma in children.
abstract: This is a retrospective review of 71 patients charts, over a 10-year period, with the diagnosis of cholesteatoma. An analysis included the demographic data, audiological data and surgical results. The selection of the surgical technique depended on the extent of the disease. In the majority of cases the primary procedure was of the canal wall down technique, which is contrary to most recently published reports. Most of the cholesteatomas were extensive, thereby requiring a more aggressive surgical approach. It was our opinion that the extent of the disease in a child was greater than in an adult. Another feature found in children is the occurrence of the disease behind an intact tympanic membrane. In this review, 35% of the cases presented in this manner. Hearing was maintained or improved in the majority of cases. It is concluded that cholesteatoma in children may differ from that in the adult and that even with canal wall down procedures, maintenance or improvement of hearing is achieved in most patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Otolaryngology Montreal Children's Hospital, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Schloss
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Terraza
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies