Primary external auditory canal cholesteatoma presenting as cerebellar abscess

Abstract

External auditory canal cholesteatoma (EACC) is an uncommon disease and its pathogenesis remains unclear. Clinically, patients usually present with symptoms like chronic dull pain and otorrhea, but many patients can be astonishingly silent or even asymptomatic. The intracranial complication with extensive mastoid cavity from primary EACC is extremely rare. Early diagnosis is imperative to facilitate best possible intervention and to relieve patient symptoms and to prevent further complications. We present the first report in the English literature of a case of primary EACC presenting as cerebellar abscess. We experienced a rare case of a 55-year-old female patient admitted in our hospital with cerebellar abscess complicated by a cholesteatoma in the external auditory canal. The patient was first managed conservatively with systemic antibiotics by neurosurgeon, and then the disease was removed successfully by canal wall down mastoidectomy and no recurrence had occurred in the first 4 months post-operatively.