The key difference between keratosis obturans and cholesteatoma is that keratosis obturans happens when there is a build-up of keratin in the ear canal, while cholesteatoma happens when there is an abnormal collection of skin cells deep inside the ear.
Ear conditions may be caused by problems in the ear, the neck, sinuses, or head. Some ear conditions can result in hearing disorders and deafness. The common ear conditions that affect hearing or balance may include conductive hearing loss, ear infection, tinnitus, Meniere’s disease, ear barotrauma, keratosis obturans, and cholesteatoma. Keratosis obturans and cholesteatoma are two medical conditions that affect the ear and its function.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Keratosis Obturans
3. What is Cholesteatoma
4. Similarities – Keratosis Obturans and Cholesteatoma
5. Keratosis Obturans vs Cholesteatoma in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Keratosis Obturans vs Cholesteatoma
What is Keratosis Obturans?
Keratosis obturans is a condition that causes the accumulation of keratin in the ear canal. Keratin is a protein molecule released by skin cells from hair, nails, and protective barrier on the skin. Keratosis obturans was first described by Wreden of St. Petersburg in 1874. The real cause of keratosis obturans is still not known. However, it can be due to a problem with how skin cells in the ear canal are produced or over-stimulation of the wax glands by the nervous system. The typical symptoms of keratosis obturans may include mild to severe pain, reduced hearing ability, and inflammation in the ear canal. The complications involved in this condition include hearing loss, facial nerve palsy, labyrinthine fistula, dehiscence of tegmen, tempormandibular joint, and jugular bulb.
Keratosis obturans is diagnosed by health care providers through examination of the ear canal, questionnaires, CT scan, or x-ray. Furthermore, treatment options for keratosis obturans may include removing the build-up of material, applying medicine into the canal, canaloplasty, and reconstruction of the bony ear canal with cartilage graft from temporalis fascia that covers the temporalis muscle.
What is Cholesteatoma?
Cholesteatoma is a rare ear disease that causes the abnormal collection of skin cells deep inside the ear. It can lead to ear infections, hearing loss, vertigo, tinnitus, and damage to facial nerves. The most common symptoms of cholesteatoma may include a persistent watery, smelly discharge from the ear that may be recurrent, the gradual loss of hearing in the affected ear, discomfort in the ear, altered sense of smell and foods, dizziness, pain, pressure or a feeling of fullness in the ear. Moreover, cholesteatoma is caused by improper ear drainage and pressure in the ear, a rupture, and birth abnormalities.
Figure 01: Cholesteatoma
Cholesteatoma is diagnosed by health history, examination of the ear with a handled device called an otoscope, audiogram, CT scan, and MRI. Furthermore, cholesteatoma can be diagnosed through antibiotics to get rid of ear infections, ear drops to drainage of the ear, initial surgery to remove cholesteatoma, and additional surgical repair to damage the inner ear.
What are the Similarities Between Keratosis Obturans and Cholesteatoma?
- Keratosis obturans and cholesteatoma are two medical conditions that affect the ear and its function.
- Both are rare ear conditions.
- They can cause hearing loss and discomfort.
- They can be diagnosed through ear examination and imaging tests.
- Both conditions can be treated through specific medications and surgeries.
What is the Difference Between Keratosis Obturans and Cholesteatoma?
Keratosis obturans is a medical condition that results in the build-up of keratin in the ear canal, while cholesteatoma is a medical condition that results in an abnormal collection of skin cells deep inside the ear. Thus, this is the key difference between keratosis obturans and cholesteatoma. Furthermore, keratosis obturans is caused due to a problem with how skin cells in the ear canal are produced or over-stimulation of the wax glands by the nervous system. On the other hand, cholesteatoma is caused due to improper ear drainage and pressure in the ear, ruptures, and birth abnormalities.
The below infographic presents the differences between keratosis obturans and cholesteatoma in tabular form for side-by-side comparison.
Summary – Keratosis Obturans vs Cholesteatoma
Ear disease is a disorder that affects the ear of humans, ultimately leading to hearing loss. Ear diseases can normally cause problems in the outer, middle, or inner ear. Keratosis obturans and cholesteatoma are two rare ear conditions. Both these ear conditions can impair hearing and can cause discomfort. Keratosis obturans is a result of the build-up of desquamated keratin in the ear canal, while cholesteatoma is a result of the abnormal accumulation of skin cells behind the eardrum or bone behind the ear. So, this summarizes the difference between keratosis obturans and cholesteatoma.
Reference:
1. “Cholesteatoma.” NHS Choices.
2. Poudyal, Prasanta, et al. “Keratosis Obturans: A Rare Cause of Facial Nerve Palsy.” Clinical Case Reports.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Attic Cholesteatoma” By Michael Hawke MD – Own work (CC BY 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia