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. 2008 Jan-Feb;74(1):53-60.
doi: 10.1016/s1808-8694(15)30751-5.

Effect of trans-retinoic acid in the inhibition of cholesteatoma in guinea pigs

Marcos Luiz Antunes  1 , Yotaka Fukuda, Norma de Oliveira Penido, Rimarcs Ferreira
Affiliations

Effect of trans-retinoic acid in the inhibition of cholesteatoma in guinea pigs

Marcos Luiz Antunes et al. Braz J Otorhinolaryngol. 2008 Jan-Feb.

Abstract

Middle ear cholesteatoma affected more than 5 million people until the 80;s. Many animal models were used, unsuccessfully, to study an alternative therapy to cholesteatoma.

Aim: observe the effect of the trans-retinoic acid in the inhibition of middle ear cholesteatomas induced by propylene glycol.

Study design: Clinical and Experimental.

Methods: 25 guinea pigs were submitted to the application of a 100% propylene glycol solution in their bulla bilaterally and a solution of trans-retinoic acid was applied locally in the external right ear, while in the left ear saline solution was applied (control ear). The guinea pigs were slaughtered and their temporal bones were prepared for macroscopic and histological analysis.

Results: The macroscopic findings had evidenced the presence of cholesteatoma in 25% of the right ears and 85% of the left ears (P=0.0003 *). The histological study had evidenced the presence of cholesteatoma in 30% of right ears and 75% of the left ears (P=0.0104*).

Conclusion: The local use of the trans-retinoic acid is effective in inhibiting the induced formation of cholesteatomas in guinea pigs.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Right temporal bone - note the bulla and the acoustic canal.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Temporal bone after decalcification and a cross-section - Ch - presence of cholesteatoma (defined macroscopically).
Figure 3
Figure 3
Temporal bone após descalcificação e corte transversal - TM: tympanic membrane. Note the middle ear with no macroscopically observable cholesteatoma.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Cholesteatoma cyst in the middle ear (100 X magnification) - note the presence of keratin lamellae within the cholesteatoma matrix.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Histological section of a middle ear cholesteatoma (100X magnification) - EE: Epitélio estratificado K: Presence of keratin lamellae.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Histological section of the normal middle ear epithelium (400X magnification) - CE: ciliated cylindrical epithelium.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

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Uncited Reference

    1. Nageris BI, Grushko I, Feinmesser R. Cholesteatoma prevention by local treatment with Vitamin A. Otol Neurotol. 2001;22(5):576–578. - PubMed

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