Diagnosis and treatment of congenital stenosis of external auditory canal with external auditory canal cholesteatoma complicated with exudative effusion in the middle ear and mastoid process

Background: The optimal timing for surgery to promote postoperative recovery in children with congenital stenosis of the external auditory canal with external auditory canal cholesteatoma, who are susceptible to exudative inflammation of middle ear and mastoid process, is still uncertain.

Objectives: To investigate the treatment of congenital stenosis of external auditory canal with external auditory canal cholesteatoma complicated with exudative inflammation.

Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of 45 patients with congenital stenosis of external auditory canal with external auditory canal cholesteatoma complicated with mastoiditis. Based on whether effusion had resolved at the time of surgery, the patients were divided into two groups. Pure-tone audiometry tests were performed before and after surgery for both groups.

Results: The average postoperative duration of dry ear was 36.38 days in Group 1 and 47.90 days in Group 2 (p < 0.05). Among patients who underwent hearing reconstruction, the average air conduction threshold decreased by 15-36 dBHL in Group 1 and by 7-22 dBHL in Group 2 (p < 0.05).

Conclusions and significance: The postoperative outcomes of dry ear and hearing improvement can be enhanced by performing operation after effusion resolution in cases of congenital external auditory canal stenosis with external auditory canal cholesteatoma exudative inflammation.