Proliferation activity and apoptosis in granulation tissue and cholesteatoma in middle ear reoperations.

The aim of the study was to find out the potential prognostic value of proliferation activity and apoptosis in cholesteatoma and granulation tissue removed during middle ear reoperation in recurrent middle ear inflammation. Granulation tissues and recurrent cholesteatoma were analysed after being surgically removed from the middle ear in a group of 25 patients qualified for middle ear reoperation procedure. Paraffin sections were stained with haematoxylin and eosin according to Mallory's method. Immunohistochemical reaction Anti-PCNA was performed. Apoptosis was evaluated using the TUNEL method. The percentage of PCNA-positive cells was 42-95% in the matrix of the cholesteatoma and 29-81% in the perimatrix. In the granulation tissue it was 35-75%. The percentage of apoptotic cells was 12-73% in the matrix of the cholesteatoma, 5-72% in the perimatrix and 1-65 % in the granulation tissue. The prognostic value of the parameters studied in the recurrent middle ear inflammatory process is questionable, probably due to the small number of cases under examination.