title: The origin of congenital cholesteatoma.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to document histologically the origin of congenital cholesteatoma in neonatal temporal bones.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study design was a systematic analysis of pediatric temporal bones.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study was performed at the temporal bone laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine and New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We describe histologic findings of a congenital cholesteatoma and a squamous epithelial rest in two postpartum patients. In both patients, the masses were asymptomatic and occurred in the anterosuperior quadrant of the middle ear cleft. This is the first histologic documentation of postpartum congenital cholesteatoma.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We believe that these cases represent the first clear histologic documentation of the origin of congenital cholesteatoma.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology - Head and Neck Surgery, Tufts University School of Medicine, New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts 02111, USA.
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Karmody
authors.forename: S V
authors.initials: SV
authors.lastname: Byahatti
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Blevins
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Valtonen
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Northrop
mesh_terms: D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000151:congenital* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004847:Epithelial Cells / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000473:pathology