Which of the following conditions may lead to hearing loss and usually requires surgical intervention for resolution?

Cholesteatoma is a condition that often leads to hearing loss and typically requires surgical intervention to resolve. This abnormal skin growth occurs in the middle ear and usually result from repeated infections or eustachian tube dysfunction. Over time, cholesteatomas can erode the surrounding bone, potentially causing more significant hearing loss and other complications, such as infection spreading to nearby structures.

Surgical treatment often involves the removal of the cholesteatoma to prevent further damage and restore hearing. This is crucial because if left untreated, cholesteatomas can lead to serious complications, including chronic ear infections and damage to the inner ear.

In contrast, conditions like otitis media and serous otitis media, while they can lead to hearing loss, often respond to medical treatments such as antibiotics or eustachian tube balloon dilation rather than requiring surgery. Otitis externa, or swimmer's ear, typically involves inflammation of the outer ear canal and, while it can be painful and cause temporary hearing issues, it usually resolves with topical treatments and does not generally require surgical intervention.