title: A pearl in the ear: Intracranial complications of pediatric cholesteatomas.
abstract: A nine-year-old male had a cholesteatoma of the mastoid and middle ear found incidentally after myringotomy tube placement. Associated asymptomatic sigmoid plate dehiscence with sinus invasion or thrombosis and ossicular chain destruction complicated his case. He had canal wall down tympanomastoidectomy and was followed for 4.5 years. Disease recurrence necessitated revision. Our case highlights an unusual clinical presentation, possible complications, and the aggressive quality of a benign lesion common in the pediatric population. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an asymptomatic lateral sinus obstruction secondary to an invasive cholesteatoma in this population.
authors.affiliation: Boston Medical Center, 1 Boston Medical Pl, Boston, MA 02118, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, United States.
authors.forename: Krystyne
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Basa
authors.affiliation: Boston Medical Center, 1 Boston Medical Pl, Boston, MA 02118, United States; Boston University School of Medicine, 72 E. Concord St, Boston, MA 02118, United States.
authors.forename: Jessica R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Levi
authors.affiliation: Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803, United States.
authors.forename: Erin
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Field
authors.affiliation: Nemours/Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children, 1600 Rockland Rd, Wilmington, DE 19803, United States. Electronic address: roreilly@nemours.org.
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: O'Reilly
mesh_terms: D002648:Child; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery; D003251:Constriction, Pathologic; D003392:Cranial Sinuses / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D004432:Ear, Middle / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008416:Mastoid / Q000473:pathology* / Q000601:surgery; D012008:Recurrence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012851:Sinus Thrombosis, Intracranial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery
keywords: Cholesteatoma; Dural sinus thrombus; Lateral sinus thrombosis; Pediatric; Sigmoid sinus