Intratympanic membrane congenital cholesteatoma.

We present two, different-sized, intratympanic membrane congenital cholesteatomas. Congenital cholesteatoma within the tympanic membrane is extremely rare. One of our cases was a small pearl centered on the umbo and the other involved the whole of the tympanic membrane. In both cases the cholesteatomas involved only the outer epidermic layer of the tympanic membrane without extension into the fibrous layer. The intratympanic membrane cholesteatomas may eventually violate the middle ear space. We believe that early diagnosis and removal of intratympanic membrane cholesteatomas is necessary to avoid complications in the middle ear space.