Treatment of sinus cholesteatoma. Long-term results and recurrence rate.

We classified cholesteatomas as attic cholesteatoma, developing from Shrapnell's membrane; tensa cholesteatoma, originating in pars tensa, which is subdivided into tensa retraction cholesteatoma involving the entire pars tensa, and sinus cholesteatomas, developing from a posterosuperior retraction (perforation). From 1964 to 1980, one-stage operations were carried out on 271 ears with sinus cholesteatomas. Follow-up included 90% of the patients, and the median observation time was 9.75 years. The recurrence rate was 10%. The recurrence rate was found to be independent of the mastoidectomy type employed. The best hearing results were obtained in ears with intact ossicular chain. We conclude that, wherever possible, sinus cholesteatoma should be removed through the auditory canal without mastoidectomy just as an intact ossicular chain should be preserved. "Canal wall up" and "canal wall down" appear to be equally valuable mastoidectomy types, and both methods must be employed to obtain optimum results.