The relationship between age and three different pathological conditions of cholesteatoma (epitympanic, posteriorsuperior quadrant and mesotympanic) was analyzed in 88 patients. The middle ear pathology and pre- and post-operative hearing levels were examined.
For posterior-superior quadrant and mesotympanic cholesteatomas, there were no age differences in the air conduction thresholds of speech frequencies or in middle ear pathology before tympanoplasty. For the epitympanic type, however, the air conduction thresholds were better and the middle ear pathology milder before age 40.
The air conduction threshold after tympanoplasty was better in the epitympanic cholesteatoma group than in the other two groups and in younger patients in all three groups.
