Changes in biofilm in chronic cholesteatomatous otitis media in children following the application of sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (MESNA).

Background: Pediatric cholesteatoma is a clinically challenging disease entity. Its biological behavior in the pediatric population differs from its behavior in adult population in terms of aggressiveness and recurrence. Several studies have shown the presence of biofilms associated with cholesteatoma that hinder the management and eradication of the infection. This led is to study the use of non-antimicrobial treatments impacting on the structure or composition of biofilms.

Objective: To evaluate the changes that occur in the biofilm of cholesteatoma in pediatric patients after the application of sodium 2-mercaptoethanesulfonate (MESNA).

Methods: A pilot study of 10 pediatric patients, with a median age of 10 years and a diagnosis of cholesteatomatous chronic otitis media, who underwent surgery for primary or revision mastoidectomy in the Otorhinolaryngology Service of the Hospital Infantil de México Federico Gómez between January 2016 and May 2017. During the surgery, basal samples of cholesteatoma and tissue were taken after topical application of 4% MESNA for 10 min. The samples were then processed for confocal laser microscopy.

Results: In all samples structures compatible with bacterial biofilms were identified. The most relevant finding was the changes in the structure of the biofilm after the application of MESNA, such as disintegration and separation of the underlying tissue.

Conclusions: This is the first study that showing changes associated with cholesteatoma in the structure of the bacterial biofilm after the application of MESNA. The observed disintegration of cholesteatoma biofilm ultrastructure could aid in the management of the chronic infection associated with cholesteatoma.