Delays in surgery for cholesteatoma due to COVID-19: is there an impact on rates of recidivism and major complications?

Purpose: To evaluate the relationship between the waiting time for surgery, and cholesteatoma recidivism rates and major complications. The secondary aims were to identify any other prognostic factors for cholesteatoma recidivism.

Methods: A retrospective single-centre study of 312 patients who underwent cholesteatoma surgery under the care of a single-surgeon, between 2004 and 2018, was performed. Waiting times for surgery were categorised into ≤ 90 days, 91-180 days, 181-270 days and > 271 days. The outcome measures were cholesteatoma recidivism and major complications (facial nerve palsy or intracranial complications).

Results: The mean age was 36.1 years ± 21.5 with 242 adults (77.6%) and 70 children (22.4%). The mean waiting time for surgery was 126.2 days (4.1 months) ± 96.0 days and the overall rate of recidivism was 11.2% (35/312 patients). No instances of facial nerve palsy or intracranial complications were identified. Rates of recidivism by waiting time for surgery were: 15.3% for 118 patients who waited ≤ 90 days, 9.7% for 134 patients who waited 91-180 days, 6.7% for 30 patients who waited 181-270 days and 4.3% for 23 patients who waited > 271 days. There was no significant difference amongst the different waiting time groups for rates of recidivism (p = 0.266).

Conclusion: Increased waiting times for cholesteatoma surgery do not appear to be associated with increased rates of recidivism or major complications. Clinical judgement will always be required for complicated disease or patients with additional risk factors. The other prognostic factors for recidivism identified in this study were age (< 15 years) and congenital cholesteatoma.