Spontaneous cholesteatoma of the external auditory canal: the utility of CT.

Spontaneous external auditory canal (EAC) cholesteatoma is a rare disease. The symptoms are nonspecific. It is diagnosed by clinical examination and radiological investigation. The clinical examination alone is often insufficient for accurately assessing spread of the cholesteatoma into the temporal bone, meaning cross-sectional imaging modalities are required, and specifically computed tomography. We report three cases of spontaneous cholesteatoma of the external auditory canal. All of our patients underwent surgery. In two cases, the cholesteatoma was restricted to the external auditory canal, while in one case, it was complicated by a fistula with the lateral semicircular canal. Good anatomical and functional results were obtained in all three cases, with the external auditory canal patent and a good calibre on completion.