Mid- to long-term outcomes of the surgical treatment of 20 middle ear cholesteatomas in 18 French bulldogs.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the mid- to long-term outcomes of surgical treatment for middle ear cholesteatoma in French bulldogs. A retrospective case series was conducted, reviewing medical records of 18 French bulldogs (20 ears) diagnosed with cholesteatoma and treated surgically from 2018 to 2023. Clinical presentation, imaging findings, surgical approach, histopathological and microbiological results, postoperative complications, and long-term outcomes, assessed through telephone follow-ups, were analyzed. The most common clinical signs were head tilt (80%) and facial nerve deficits (70%). Otitis media was present in all cases and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was the primary imaging modality for initial diagnosis (90%). All dogs underwent either subtotal or standard ear canal ablation-lateral bulla osteotomy (TECA-LBO).was the most frequently isolated pathogen in positive cultures (85%). Long-term follow-ups showed clinical improvement in all cases, with complete recovery in 40% and a recurrence in 10% of treated ears. These findings suggest that dogs undergoing surgical treatment for aural cholesteatoma experience long-term clinical improvement, although recurrence and persistent clinical signs remain possible.