Cholesteatoma of the middle ear and of the mastoid may arise either primarily as a congenital growth or secondarily as a result of chronic infection. The pathologic end-product, however, is the same, and it is somewhat confusing that two entirely different processes should be called by the same term. In this discussion the secondary type will receive no attention.
True, primary, or congenital, cholesteatoma must be classed among the rare types of tumor, but its occurrence in many parts of the body makes it an object of great interest. It has been noted in the breast, diaphragm, liver, gallbladder, stomach, intestinal tract, pancreas, spleen, kidney, urinary bladder, ovary, testis, uterus and other parts of the body.
However, its most common occurrence is in the head. Several authors1 have reported cases in which the lower jaw was involved, and in 2 cases2 the tumor lay in the floor of