Cholesteatoma and Anterior Tympanotomy

The pathogenesis of acquired aural cholesteatoma has presented a unique procedural dilemma for the researcher. Although the condition occurs only in humans, virtually all pathogenetic research has been conducted on nonhuman subjects. The results thus obtained have been of limited usefulness. The groundbreaking procedures presented in this volume now reveal that the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma is to be found by studying the malpneumatized ear in humans. The anatomical difference between the normal and malpneumatized ear is shown to be the probable cause of cholesteatoma. Conventional treatment focuses on removal of the lesion rather than improving intratympanic ventilation. As a result, recurrence of the condition is not unusual. With anterior tympanotomy, a new surgical technique developed by the author, recurrence rates have been significantly reduced, and the pathogenesis of cholesteatoma has been greatly clarified. Clearly stated procedures, with illustrations, elucidate techniques for successful cholesteatoma operation leaving the ear canal intact and reducing recurrence. The book is a valuable source to all those in the fields of otorhinolaryngology and audiology, and to surgeons and researchers concerned with cholesteatoma.