We finally have a name for Elisabeth's chronic ear problem. I heard it first from her ENT Charles Myer III yesterday.
Elisabeth's chronic ear infection history goes back to infancy and included several sets of tubes and a history of pediatric visits prompted by blood & pus drainage.
It had nothing to do with allergies, swallowing issues, sinus infections, or other red herrings.
It's called Cholesteatoma. It's a benign tumor. A skin cyst growing on the other side of the eardrum.
From an article I extracted from the internet, I learned about possible causes & treatment:
"One of the main causes of cholesteatoma formation is a eustachian tube that does not function well. Eustachian tube problems tend to run in families or certain ethnic groups, such as Eskimos or individuals of American Indian descent. Other disorders, such as cleft palate, Down's syndrome, or other craniofacial abnormalities that impair eustachian tube function may also have a higher frequency of cholesteatoma formation" - Mark C. Loury, M.D., F.A.C.S. © 2006 Advanced Otolaryngology, PC
Treatment is surgery with a 50% chance of reoccurance.
Click on the title above or go here for more information about Cholesteatoma http://www.advancedotolaryngology.com/Pages/PatientServices/1037.html
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