A case of giant cholesteatoma extending to the posterior fossa.

We present a 43-year-old male patient who developed a giant cholesteatoma with lateral sinus obliteration and involvement of the posterior cranial fossa. The only complaints were left-sided aural discharges and total sensorineural hearing loss. Examination revealed a mass lesion consistent with cholesteatoma within the left middle ear. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging showed an extensive acquired cholesteatoma in the left middle ear, invading the posterior cranial fossa and leading to lateral sinus obliteration. The patient underwent left radical mastoidectomy. He had an uneventful postoperative follow-up for 13 months. This case emphasizes the value of preoperative radiologic assessment of giant cholesteatomas that may present with relatively few or limited symptoms.