[Clinical characteristics of congenital and acquired middle ear cholesteatoma in children].

<b>Objective:</b>To retrospectively analyze the clinical features and surgical efficacy of congenital cholesteatoma （CC） and acquired cholesteatoma （AC） in children. <b>Methods:</b>Clinical data of 169 children with middle ear cholesteatoma were reviewed in the Department of Otorhinolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, Beijing Children's Hospital, Capital Medical University from January 2010 to July 2020. The clinical characteristics, stages, surgical methods, and postoperative recurrence rates were analyzed and summarized. <b>Results:</b>The age distribution of enrolled children ranged from 2 to 14 years. The mean age of the CC group was （5.60±2.48） years compared with （6.45±2.48） years in the AC group, and the difference was statistically significant （<i>P</i><0.05）. Preoperative hearing in the CC group was （40.06±13.52） dB HL, which was better than in the AC group at （48.40±13.84） dB HL （<i>P</i><0.05）. The proportion of stage Ⅰ in the CC group was lower than that in the AC group according to EAONO/JOS staging （<i>P</i><0.05）. The recurrence rate after primary surgery was 19.23% （10/52） in the CC group compared with 36.29% （45/124） in the AC group （<i>P</i><0.05）. The mastoid retention rates after all operations were 28.85% （15/52） in the CC group and 5.65% （7/124） in the AC group （<i>P</i><0.05）. <b>Conclusion:</b>Compared with congenital cholesteatoma, acquired cholesteatoma in children is more aggressive and has more complications, higher postoperative recurrence rate, and less possibility of mastoid retention. Early clinical detection and treatment are required, and canal wall-down tympanoplasty should be considered in surgery.