Otitis media occurs along a continuum. For example, otitis media with effusion characterized by fluid pathology can lead to chronic otitis media plus chronic mastoiditis, characterized by the presence of intractable tissue pathology such as cholesteatoma, cholesterol granuloma or granulation tissue. The literature defines chronic otitis media as having a tympanic membrane perforation and otorrhea. Amongst many other sequelae, which can result from the continuum, an important common one is chronic silent otitis media. This overlooked entity which includes pathology beneath an intact tympanic membrane is commonly seen in our human temporal bone laboratory and in patients. The clinical pathological correlates of this important disease are discussed herein.