Hello. I m Dr. Christensen. I m sorry you re having problems with your ears. A cholesteatoma is a type of cyst found in the middle ear space. It forms when skin cells get pulled into the middle ear, either by chronic Eustachian tube dysfunction, recurrent infections or eardrum trauma. By acting as a foreign body within the middle ear space, cholesteatomas can themselves contribute to chronic or recurrent infections; they can also erode the surrounding structures of the ear and skull, leading to permanent problems with hearing, balance or even facial muscle control. If they re not removed, cholesteatomas continue to grow. Surgery to remove a cholesteatoma is usually successful, but these lesions occasionally recur, and more than one procedure may be required. In addition, once your cholesteatoma is removed, you ll probably have to make occasional trips to your ENT to have your ear cleaned and to make sure the lesion isn t recurring. I hope that answers your question, and I hope things go well for you!