Cholesteatoma

Cholesteatoma is an abnormal skin growth in the middle ear.  It is most commonly caused by prolonged Eustachian tube dysfunction causing ongoing negative pressure in the middle ear.

It can be associated with recurrent ear infections and/or a tear in the ear drum, which can allow skin from the outer ear to grow into the middle ear.

Over time, these cysts or pouches of skin, which build up inside the ear, can increase in size and damage the delicate bones of the middle ear.  This may result in treatable hearing loss; however continued cholesteatoma growth may lead to permanent hearing loss, dizziness, facial muscle paralysis and rarely meningitis or brain abscess.

Leading ENT surgeon, A. Professor Payal Mukherjee, used her keynote address at the Sydney Innovation and Research Symposium, 2017, to highlight how augmented reality and 3D printing are revolutionising her patient care. Her presentation featured touching stories from two of her patients, Mark and Robyn.