Attic Retraction Pocket

Skin material often accumulates in this pocket and becomes infected causing drainage and potential severe complications.

Attic retraction pocket.

Pockets may be formed in any part of the tympanic membrane but typically are located in epitympanum. Stratified squamous epithelium may also be present in the middle ear as other clinical or pathological entities such as metaplastic islands of the mucosa in chronic ears with central perforations. One can describe a retraction pocket as a condition where part of the tympanic membrane is drawn towards the middle ear space and lies deeper than a healthy part. A retraction pocket with little epitympanic erosion can be managed using a transmeatal approach with or without extended tympanoatticotomy.

For retraction pockets the meatal skin flap length must be at least 8 10 mm. This is differentiated from an infected retraction pocket of the pars tensa or a retraction pocket cholesteatoma. Attic retraction pocket in the left ear white arrow with atelectatic prussak s space red circle and eroded scutum yellow arrow. An attic cholesteatoma is defined as an epidermoid cyst found in the attic.

The present study describes an improved classification system based on otoscopic and endoscopic visualization of the retraction pocket fundus the ossicular status in the attic degree of scutal erosion and the presence or absence of cholesteatoma. 1 attic retraction pocket cholesteatoma is clearly visualized white arrow.