Chronic suppurative otitis media with cholesteatoma and chronic otitis media with granulation by scanning electron microscopy based on analysis of 140 patients

Objectives Chronic purulent cholesteatoma of the middle ear, as well as to a lesser extent chronic granulomatous otitis media, lead to destruction of bone structures within the middle ear space. Above process is controlled by the OPG/RANKL/RANK system. Material and methods An analysis of 140 patients operated on due to chronic otitis media was performed. For the detailed analysis in the scanning electron microscope, 40 patients were selected who had been diagnosed with chronic cholesteatoma of the middle ear and chronic granulomatous otitis media. Finally the study in SEM included 20 patients. Results The regular structure of cholesteatoma depicted in the Scanning Electron Microscope concerned 5 patients with diagnosed. In the remaining 7 patients, the system was irregular and even chaotic. Lack of regularity can also be observed in the case of granulation tissue, which in the SEM image presented itself as an irregular tissue mass without detectable regularities. Conclusions 1. Regular pattern of the cholesteatoma matrix cells observed in some patients with chronic cholesteatoma of the middle ear reduces the molecular permeability of inflammatory cytokines, concurrently limiting the destructive activity on bone structures. 2. The presence of inflammatory granulation tissue in the middle ear is accompanied by an influx of leukocytes: neutrophils and lymphocytes, which are the source of pro-inflammatory cytokines, the growth of which activates the processes leading to the damage of bone tissue and the development of inflammation. 3. No specimen of acquired cholesteatoma revealed presence of commensalism like organism on the surface of exfoliated human epithelium of Demodex species.