title: [The preliminary analysis of the clinical characteristics and misdiagnosis of external auditory canal cholesteatoma].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To analyze the clinical characteristics of external auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC) and investigate the causes of misdiagnosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective study was carried out in 18 cases (18 ears) of EACC diagnosed on pathological and clinical process during 1993- 2003 in our department.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Bony erosion was found in 13 cases, yellow and white keratotic substances or cerumen-like conglomerations blocked in the deep external auditory canal was found in 18 cases, external auditory canal stenosis or granulation tissue formation was found in 15 cases, epitympanum and mastoid antrum invasion was in found 4 cases, perforation of tympanic membrane was found in 2 cases. All were treated with thoroughly cleaning of the cholesteatoma, degeneration tissue and sequestrum and the application of antibiotics. All cases were followed up for 1-6 years, and no recurrent cases were found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EACC shows to be an external auditory disease with characteristics of chronic dull pain, intermission otorrhea and bony erosion that is definitely different from keratosis obturans (KO), its therapeutic principle should be a thoroughly clearance of cholesteatoma sac, degeneration tissues and sequestrum and the improvement of healing of lesions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otolaryngology, Fifth People's Hospital of Zhengzhou, Zhengzhou 450003, China. bingrulin@163.com
authors.forename: Xiaoru
authors.initials: X
authors.lastname: Liu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004431:Ear, External / Q000473:pathology* / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult