Abstract
From the study of 7 cases of cholesteatoma of the external auditory meatus, the authors summarized the characteristics of the disease as follows: 1. Chronic granulation with inflammation was seen in all cases accompanied by enlargement of the bony canal wall. 2. Matrix of cholesteateatoma and debris were found in the proximal part of the canal. 3. Destruction of the annulus tympanicus and thinning, retraction or perforation of the tympanic membrane were seen in some cases. 4. Cholesteatoma of the external auditory meatus has the potential to pervade into the middle ear. The authors speculated its etiology as a disturbance of migration of the epithelial layer, which brings accumulation of exfoliated cells, secretions, debris where infections supervene to form cholesteatoma with erosions of the bony canal wall.
Most of these cases can be controlled by coneservative measures, while surgical removal with a free skin graft may be necessary in a few cases.
