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Cholesteatoma

This is a rare ear disorder in children that begins with an abnormal growth of skin into the middle ear. Skin can penetrate the ear drum and form a cholesteatoma after repeated ear infections or a tear in the eardrum. The skin growth can damage delicate bones of the middle ear and lead to hearing loss. Almost every child with a cholesteatoma will develop ear discharge. Less common symptoms include tinnitus, earache, headaches and bleeding from the ear.

Best in Care                                                                                 

The AdventHealth Neuroscience Institute is a state-of-the art facility for children affected by cholesteatoma. We specialize in minimally invasive treatments that use 3-D brain mapping and GPS-like neuronavigation to pinpoint cholesteatomas with immense accuracy. Using an endoscope, our surgeons remove the tumor through the natural corridor of the nose instead of making an incision in the skull. The surgery normally restores hearing loss caused by the cholesteatoma and protects the temporal lobe, where hearing and speech comprehension are located. Children also generally heal more quickly and experience less pain with minimally invasive surgery