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Diagnostic challenges in tuberculous otitis media

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  29 April 2010

I P Tang*
Affiliation:
ORL Department, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
N Prepageran
Affiliation:
ORL Department, Faculty of Medicine, University Malaysia Sarawak, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia
C A Ong
Affiliation:
ORL Department, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia
P Puraviappan
Affiliation:
ORL Department, Faculty of Medicine, University Putra Malaysia, Serdang, Selangor, Malaysia
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Ing Ping Tang, 66 Lorong Setia Raja 12A1, Taman Stutong Indah, 93350 Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia. Fax: 6 082422564 E-mail: ingptang@yahoo.com

Abstract

Objectives:

To demonstrate the different clinical presentations of tuberculous otitis media and the management of selected cases.

Case report:

We report four cases of tuberculous otitis media with different clinical presentations, encountered between 1998 and 2002. None of the cases showed improvement with local or systemic antibiotics. The diagnosis, complications and management of these cases are discussed.

Conclusions:

A high index of clinical suspicion of tuberculous otitis media is required in patients who do not respond to standard antibiotic therapy for (nontuberculous) chronic middle-ear infection. Early diagnosis and treatment of tuberculous otitis media is important to avoid irreversible complications, surgical intervention and propagation of the disease.

Type
Clinical Records
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2010

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