MIDDLE EAR CHOLESTEATOMA

Course overview

THERE ARE TWO MAJOR TYPES OF MIDDLE EAR CHOLESTEATOMAS, CONGENITAL AND ACQUIRED. CONGENITAL CHOLESTEATOMAS ARE DERIVED FROM REMNANTS OF EPITHELIUM THAT GET TRAPPED BEHIND THE TYMPANIC MEMBRANE DURING DEVELOPMENT. ACQUIRED CHOLESTEATOMAS DO NOT RESULT FROM AN EMBRYOLOGIC PHENOMENON, BUT ARE THE RESULT OF PATHOLOGIC CHANGES THAT LEAD TO UNCONTROLLED GROWTH OF SQUAMOUS KERATINIZED EPITHELIUM IN THE MIDDLE EAR. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND PATHOPHYSIOLOGY OF ACQUIRED MIDDLE EAR CHOLESTEATOMAS AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN MANAGING THIS CONDITION.