[The diagnosis and therapy for cholesterol granuloma of middle ear].

OBJECTIVE

To explore the diagnosis for cholesterol granuloma of middle ear, and discuss the effect of middle ear surgery for this disease.

METHOD: The files of 18 patients (19 ears) with cholesterol granuloma of middle ear were reviewed in a retrospective study. All patients received middle ear and mastoid surgery, and all involved tissues were verified as cholesterol granuloma by pathologic examination.

RESULT: The patients undergoing ventilation tube insertion were extubated 1-3 months after surgery and the eardrums healed well. The eardrums of the patients without ventilation tube insertion became normal 1-2 months after surgery. The hearing threshold after surgery of all patients improved. Beside one patients with eustachian tube obstructed had ventilation tube inserted with long term, no patient had symptoms recurred.

CONCLUSION

The cholesterol granuloma of middle ear results from the bleeding, occlusion of ventilation and disturbance of drainage of the air cavity because of the middle ear inflammation. The diagnosis depends on the pathological examination. The middle ear and mastoid surgery, removing the diseased tissues completely, creating a ventilation system of mastoid-tympani-Eustachian are the key