Complications of Cholesteatoma

Nanki Hura; Daniel Choo; Peter Luke Santa Maria

doi:10.1016/j.otc.2024.08.009

Complications of Cholesteatoma

Otolaryngol Clin North Am. 2025 Feb;58(1):51-64. doi: 10.1016/j.otc.2024.08.009. Epub 2024 Oct 15.

Authors

Nanki Hura¹, Daniel Choo², Peter Luke Santa Maria³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, 203 Lothrop Street, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA.
² Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, 3333 Burnet Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45229-3039, USA.
³ Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Department of Otolaryngology, 203 Lothrop Street, Suite 300, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. Electronic address: [email protected].

PMID: 39406584
DOI: 10.1016/j.otc.2024.08.009

Abstract

Complications of cholesteatoma result from characteristic inflammatory and resorptive processes that erode the structures of the middle and inner ear with potential to spread locally. Common intratemporal complications include hearing loss, facial nerve palsy, labyrinthine fistula, and dysgeusia. Extratemporal complications, though less common, may be life-threatening, and include cerebrospinal fluid leak and encephalocele, meningitis, epidural and intraparenchymal abscesses, subdural empyema, and otic hydrocephalus.

Keywords: Biofilms; Cholesteatoma; Chronic otitis media; Facial palsy; Hearing loss.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Cerebrospinal Fluid Leak / etiology
Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear* / complications
Hearing Loss / etiology
Humans
Meningitis / etiology