Objective: This study aimed to document histologically the origin of congenital cholesteatoma in neonatal temporal bones.
Study design: The study design was a systematic analysis of pediatric temporal bones.
Setting: The study was performed at the temporal bone laboratory, Tufts University School of Medicine and New England Medical Center, Boston, Massachusetts.
Results: We describe histologic findings of a congenital cholesteatoma and a squamous epithelial rest in two postpartum patients. In both patients, the masses were asymptomatic and occurred in the anterosuperior quadrant of the middle ear cleft. This is the first histologic documentation of postpartum congenital cholesteatoma.
Conclusions: We believe that these cases represent the first clear histologic documentation of the origin of congenital cholesteatoma.