Decision-making in Petrous Bone Cholesteatoma (PBC): Surgical options according to PBC classification.

Introduction: Petrous bone cholesteatoma (PBC) is a rare, potentially life-threatening condition requiring surgical management to prevent severe complications. While classification systems, such as Sanna's, are widely used to guide surgical planning, actual decision-making is often influenced by additional clinical factors beyond lesion type.

Material and methods: A retrospective analysis of 94 PBCs in 92 patients operated between 1995 and 2024 was conducted. Data included demographics, clinical presentation, PBC classification, surgical approach, use of endoscopic assistance, recurrence, follow-up, and hearing rehabilitation. The aim of this study is to describe the surgical strategies applied to different PBC types in a series of 94 cases, evaluate the practical utility of classification systems, and propose a decision-making approach based on inner ear involvement and other critical factors RESULTS: The most common PBC type was supralabyrinthine (40.43%), followed by massive (18.09%) and retrolabyrinthine-infralabyrinthine (11.7%). A total of 102 surgeries were performed using various approaches, including modified translabyrinthine (24.51%), subtotal petrosectomy (22.55%), and transotic approach (18.63%). Endoscopic assistance was used in 11 cases. Recurrence occurred in 8.51% of cases, with a median follow-up of 48.5 months. Cochlear implantation was used in 8 patients and bone conduction implants in 3.

Conclusions: PBC classification provides valuable insights for understanding lesion behavior and planning surgery, but it is insufficient alone for determining the optimal surgical approach. Decisions must be individualized, considering hearing status, inner ear and facial nerve involvement, contralateral ear function, lesion extension, and anatomical factors. A classification-based strategy complemented by these considerations ensures safer and more effective management of PBC.