[Congenital stenosis of external auditory canal with cholesteatoma and skin fistulae or sinuses].
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the clinical features, differential diagnosis and management of congenital stenosis of external auditory canal (CSEAC) with cholesteatoma.


METHODS
The clinical information for 10 cases of CSEAC with cholesteatoma was retrospectively reviewed.


RESULTS
The patients' ages ranged from 4.75 to 22 years (average 12 years). The diameter of the external auditory canal (EAC) was < 2 mm. All 10 ears had a history of postural fistulae or sinuses. Bone erosion of EAC was distinctly shown in high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) of all cases, as well as soft tissue masses, which led to enlargement of the bony canals. All patients underwent canaloplasty; eight ears received hearing reconstructions at the same time. Cholesteatoma in EACs was confirmed during the operations, accompanied by compression and destruction of the post-superior and/or inferior bony wall. Postoperative pathologic examinations proved the diagnosis of cholesteatoma, and excluded any tissue of bronchial cleft cyst or fistula. After a follow-up 1 to 3 years, no recurrent cholesteatoma was found in any of the 10 cases. All reconstructed EACs were clean and smooth. The hearing levels in the eight ears that received hearing reconstructions improved 20 - 35 dBHL.


CONCLUSIONS
In CSEAC with cholesteatoma, the bony wall of EAC is most commonly involved. This involvement will lead to bone erosion of the EAC and may subsequently lead to the formation of postural or cervical sinuses. HRCT of temporal bone can show characteristic signs of soft tissue mass in EAC, with adjacent bone erosion.
Zhao
Shou-Qin
SQ
Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Tongren Hospital, Capital Medical University, Beijing 100730, China.
Han
De-Min
DM
Dai
Hai-Jiang
HJ
Wang
Dan-Ni
DN
Ma
Xiao-Bo
XB
Zheng
Ya-Li
YL
Yu
Zi-Long
ZL
Li
Jie
J
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic / Q000151:congenital; D017577:Cutaneous Fistula / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D004424:Ear Canal / Q000002:abnormalities*; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000151:congenital / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D055815:Young Adult