Pediatric Cholesteatoma: The Role of Early Diagnosis in Surgical Outcomes

BACKGROUND: This study presents the clinical experience in the management of pediatric cholesteatoma, specifically evaluating whether a delay in surgical intervention following symptom onset negatively affects prognosis. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was conducted of children who underwent surgical treatment for chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma between March 2017 and July 2018, with a minimum follow-up of 24 months. For staging purposes and to correlate disease severity with clinical outcomes, the 2017 European Academy of Otology and Neurotology/Japan Otological Society Joint Consensus guidelines were applied. RESULTS: A total of 64 patients were included. Disease-free survival was 100% at 9 months and 83% at 41 months. CONCLUSION: In pediatric cases, a conservative surgical approach is often preferable to preserve quality of life. Early-stage diagnosis plays a crucial role, as delayed detection may adversely affect both the choice of surgical technique and auditory outcomes.