Malignant otitis externa - a case report

Tóm tắt

Malignant or necrotizing otitis externa (MOE) is a severe infectious condition of the external ear canal. It is rare but has a high mortality rate due to complications such as osteomyelitis of the skull base and intracranial involvement. The reported clinical case involves a 72-year-old male patient with a long history of type 2 diabetes, who presented with severe ear pain, stenosis of the external ear canal, and no response to medical treatment one month prior to hospitalization. The CT scan showed bone destruction of the skull base and part of the external ear canal. Despite being treated aggressively with radical mastoid surgery and broad-spectrum antibiotics, the patient's condition worsened, leading to complications including cranial nerve paralysis, meningitis, and ultimately death. This report aims to analyze the clinical and paraclinical characteristics and progression of the disease to draw lessons for the diagnosis and treatment of this dangerous condition.