Treatment of cholesteatoma in children

We studied retrospectively 28 cases of cholesteatoma in children whose ages were 3 to 13 years old. All had undergone surgery between 1989 and 1995. T he intact canal wall technique was the predominant method used in the initi al operation, with long term goals of an anatomically normal and infection- free ear. Cholesteatoma was found postoperatively in 15 cases and was consi dered to be residual in 6 cases and recurrent in 9. The residual cholesteat oma was relatively uncommon and usually removable in an exploratory second operation. Our findings showed that the intact canal wall technique was the best initial operation if two-stage surgery was planned. Avoidance of a re traction pocket, which tends to progress to a recurrent cholesteatoma, is i mportant to successful treatment.