Hostname: page-component-5db58dd55d-qmkzp Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2026-05-25T14:55:02.916Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Atypical presentations of malignant otitis externa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 March 2010

Z Vourexakis ,
M-I Kos  and
J-P Guyot
Z Vourexakis*
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland
M-I Kos
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland
J-P Guyot
Affiliation:
Department of Otolaryngology Head and Neck Surgery, University Hospital of Geneva, Switzerland
*
Address for correspondence: Dr Zacharias Vourexakis, Department of Otolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Geneva School of Medicine, Geneva University Hospitals, Rue Gabrielle – Perret – Gentil 4, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland. E-mail: zkvourexakis@yahoo.com
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction:

Malignant otitis externa is a life-threatening infection of the skull base. Its presentation is not always typical.

Case reports:

We report three cases of malignant otitis externa which illustrate the diversity of its clinical manifestations and the difficulties in its diagnosis.

Discussion:

The perception of malignant otitis externa as an infection caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in diabetic patients is not always correct. The adoption of diagnostic criteria could be helpful in identifying atypical cases.

Keywords

Otitis ExternaMalignant Otitis ExternaNecrotizing Otitis ExternaPseudomonas

Information

Type
Clinical Records
Information
The Journal of Laryngology & Otology , Volume 124 , Issue 11 , November 2010 , pp. 1205 - 1208
Copyright
Copyright © JLO (1984) Limited 2010

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Article purchase

Temporarily unavailable

References

1 Toulmouche, MA. Observations on cerebral otorrhea: latest considerations [in French]. Gaz Med Paris 1838;6:422–6Google Scholar
2 Meltzer, PE, Keleman, G. Pyocutaneous osteomyelitis of the temporal bone, mandible and zygoma. Laryngoscope 1959;169:1300–16CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3 Chandler, JR. Malignant external otitis. Laryngoscope 1968;78:1257–94CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
4 Rubin Grandis, J, Branstetter, BF 4th, Yu, VL. The changing face of malignant (necrotizing) external otitis: clinical, radiological and anatomic considerations. Lancet Infect Dis 2004;4:34–9CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5 Kountakis, SE, Kemper, JV Jr, Chang, CY, DiMaio, DJ, Stiernberg, CM. Osteomyelitis of the base of the skull secondary to aspergillus. Am J Otolaryngol 1997;18:19–22CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
6 Mani, R, Belcadhi, M, Krifa, N, Abdelkefi, M, Ben Said, M, Bouzouita, K. Fungal necrotizing external otitis [in French]. Ann Otolaryngol Chir Cervicofac 2008;125:40–5CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
7 Carfrae, MJ, Kesser, BW. Malignant otitis externa. Otolaryngol Clin North Am 2008;41:537–49CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
8 Linstrom, CJ, Lucente, FE. Infections of the External Ear Bailey & Johnson Head and Neck Surgery – Otolaryngology, 4th edn. Philadeplphia: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins, 2006;2:1994–7Google Scholar
9 Sreepada, GS, Kwartler, JA. Skull base osteomyelitis secondary to malignant otitis externa. Curr Opin Otolaryngol Head Neck Surg 2003;11:316–23CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
10 Sudhoff, H, Rajagopal, S, Mani, N, Moumoulidis, I, Axon, PR, Moffat, D. Usefulness of CT scans in malignant external otitis: effective tool for diagnosis, but of limited value in predicting outcome. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 2008;265:53–6CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
11 Nadol, JB Jr. Histophathology of Pseudomonas osteomyelitis of the temporal bone starting as malignant external otitis. Am J Otolaryngol 1980;1:359–71CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12 Cohen, D, Friedman, P. The diagnostic criteria of malignant external otitis. J Laryngol Otol 1987;101:216–21CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed