EXTERNAL AUDITORY-CANAL WALL CHOLESTEATOMA - A COMPLICATION OF EAR SURGERY

Primary external auditory canal wall cholesteatomas are usually presen t in the inferior portion of the canal lateral to the tympanic membran e. Small inclusion cysts are a common finding along incision lines aft er ear surgery. This report details 5 cases of large canal wall choles teatomas after prior ear surgery. The middle ear or mastoid was not di rectly involved in any of the cases. The largest of these presented 8 years after the initial procedure and eroded in the middle and tempora l fossae. A common feature among these patients was an extended period in which the patient was lost to follow-up after surgery. This experi ence reinforces the need for vigilant long term follow up even in the asymptomatic postoperative patient.