This is a review of the English literature relative to cholesteatoma, from 1978 through 1981.The material is presented in 13 categories: histopathology, pathogenesis, congenital cholesteatoma, cholesteatoma in children, surgical technique, complications of the disease, postoperative cholesteatoma, petrous apex cholesteatoma, reports from the Shambaugh-Shea Workshop (1979), cholesteatoma following intubation, external auditory canal cholesteatoma, extramastoid cholesteatoma, and miscellaneous articles.References are listed for all relevant articles. An abstract preceded by [AA] indicates that this is the author's abstract. An abstract not preceded by [AA] indicates an edited abstract. Material in brackets is an abstract or a comment by this reviewer.