Usefulness of a Novel Staging System for Congenital Cholesteatoma of the Middle Ear

Abstract

Background and Objectives Although there are number of studies on the risk factors of recidivism in the congenital middle ear cholesteatoma, few have focused on the staging system. In this study, we aimed to investigate the postoperative recurrence rate in surgical cases of congenital middle ear cholesteatoma, and compare the results of using the Potsic staging system with those of a novel Kim staging system. Additionally, we also studied to see if the Kim staging system could suggest an appropriate surgical approach for each stage. Subjects and Method Surgical cases of the disease from January, 1989 to August, 2017 performed at Kangdong Sacred Heart or Hallym University Sacred Heart Hospital were included and those data were retrospectively reviewed. All the cases were pre-operatively assigned to the stages using both Potsic and Kim staging system, retrospectively. The post-operative recurrence rate was analyzed for each subject according to the findings of one year after surgery using both staging systems. Additionally, surgical approach performed in these cases, such as mastoidectomy and/or ossiculoplasty were analyzed and compared among the stage groups of Kim staging system. Results The Potsic staging system showed that recurrence was significantly lower in the stage I than in the other stages, and the Kim staging system showed that recurrence was significantly higher in the revision R stage than in the primary A, P, and M stages. The Kim staging system showed that mastoidectomy was performed more frequently in the M stage, and ossiculoplasty was performed less frequently in the A stage than in the other stages. Conclusion Although Potsic and Kim staging systems were both useful for predicting prognosis, the Kim staging system can additionally provide a clue for an appropriate surgical approach for each stage.