Cholesteatoma and osteoradionecrosis after radiotherapy of the temporal bone: Surgical aspects.

Introduction: The treatment for head and neck cancer with radiotherapy can cause different alterations of the auditory system. We report two cases of chronic otitis of the external and middle ear secondary to osteoradionecrosis of the temporal bone. This article aims to report the experience of the surgical approach in such condition. Cases report: The first patient was treated with radiotherapy in his childhood for a cerebellar tumor. He developed years later a cholesteatoma which invaded the mastoid cavities through a destruction of the external auditory canal. The second was treated for a malignant parotid tumour 15 years before by surgery and radiotherapy. She developed a chronic otorrhea with a partial destruction of the bony external auditory canal. Both patients were treated by surgery with reconstruction including bone, cartilage, fascia and skin grafts. The outcome was good in both cases. Osteo­radio­necrosis of the temporal bone is a rare but serious complication of radiotherapy for head and neck cancer. This complication can occur even many years after the treatment. Our two cases demonstrate a way to solve this pathology. A long term supervision with regular cares is essential in order to get a good healing. Due to the improvement of the radiation therapy we could expect less complications of this type in the future.