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Objectives/hypothesis: To describe the presentation and management of acute complicated mastoiditis in children.Study Design: Retrospective case series.Methods: An analysis of pediatric patients with acute complicated mastoiditis treated at an urban, tertiary care children's hospital from 2007 to 2014 was performed.Results: Forty-eight patients presented with a total of 67 complications of acute mastoiditis. Mean age at presentation was 4.8 years (range = 0.1-15.3 years). The most common complications were subperiosteal abscess (n = 22, 45.8%), epidural abscess (n = 16, 33.3%), and sigmoid sinus thrombosis (n = 14, 29.2%). The most common pathogens isolated included Streptococcus pneumoniae (n = 14, 29.2%) and group A streptococcus (n = 10, 20.8%). Multidrug resistance was not associated with complication type. Surgical management included myringotomy ± tympanostomy tube placement in 46 (95.8%) patients (the only surgery in 10), drainage of subperiosteal abscess without mastoidectomy in 18 (37.5%) patients, and mastoidectomy in 21 (43.8%) total patients. Patients presenting with intracranial complications were the most likely to undergo a mastoidectomy. Anticoagulation was used in the management of nine of 14 (64.3%) patients presenting with sigmoid sinus thrombosis. Neurosurgical interventions (n = 7, 14.6% patients) were primarily performed to manage increased intracranial pressure.Conclusions: Subperiosteal abscess was the most common complication of acute mastoiditis, and when occurring as the sole complication was successfully managed with antibiotics and surgical intervention that did not include mastoidectomy. Epidural abscess and sigmoid sinus thrombosis were more prevalent than reported in prior series and were managed more aggressively. These patients were more likely to need neurosurgical interventions.Level Of Evidence: 4. Laryngoscope, 127:2321-2327, 2017. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives/hypothesis: Brain CT is performed in patients presenting with acute mastoiditis (AM) to identify intracranial complications (ICC). Recently, however, the need for CT scans in such patients has been questioned owing to concerns regarding long-term effects of brain irradiation, with some clinicians claiming that the decision to scan should be based on a patient's clinical presentation. This study was aimed at characterizing the typical clinical presentation of patients who already have ICCs when diagnosed with AM, and to compare it to that of AM patients presenting without ICCs., Study Design: Prospective case series., Methods: All patients hospitalized with AM between July 1997 and December 2009 in an otologic tertiary referral center were divided into those with and those without ICCs on presentation. Prereferral clinical characteristics and the signs, symptoms, and inflammatory indexes at presentation were compared between the two groups., Results: Of 71 patients presenting with AM, 10 had at least one ICC (sigmoid sinus thrombosis [nine patients], perisinus empyema [five patients], subdural abscess [one patient], and epidural abscess [one patient]). Patients with and without ICCs did not differ regarding most clinical characteristics or presenting signs and symptoms. None presented with neurological signs or cranial nerve deficits., Conclusions: It is not possible to define an evidence-based index of suspicion for ICCs in patients with AM. Diagnostic imaging at presentation accordingly remains mandatory., (Copyright © 2012 The American Laryngological, Rhinological, and Otological Society, Inc.)

Introduction: Reports of Bezold's abscess are rare. Classically, Bezold's abscess is described as a complication of mastoiditis in which infection spreads deep to the sternocleidomastoid muscle and throughout the fascial planes of the neck. Antibiotic treatment of suppurative otitis media has considerably decreased the incidence of complications resulting from this disease. We present a unique case report of Bezold's abscess in the setting ofa patient with untreated HIV. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of Bezold's abscess and HIV. Despite its rarity, clinicians must have a high suspicion for Bezold's abscess in the setting of complicated otitis media and HIV; it must be recognized early in immunocompromised patients and treated aggressively due to its potentially fatal outcome., Study Design: Case report and review of the literature., Methods: We review the clinical course of a thirty five year old male HIV patient with a chronically draining ear and progressive neck stiffness, found to have a Bezold's abscess on CT. The incidence, pathogenesis and treatment of Bezold's abscess are discussed with special reference to the clinical presentation in the setting of an immunocompromised host., Results: After broad-spectrum intravenous antibiotic therapy, mastoidectomy and surgical incision and drainage of the neck abscess, the patient recovered and had begun antiretroviral therapy at six-month follow-up., Conclusions: Bezold's abscess should be considered in the setting of complicated otitis media with neck stiffness and immunocompromised, specifically untreated HIV. The diagnosis and prompt, aggressive treatment of Bezold's abscess is necessary for an optimal clinical outcome

Objectives/hypothesis: Recently, several groups have noticed an increase in cases of advanced pediatric mastoiditis and intracranial complications. The objective of this study was to review the bacteriology of advanced mastoiditis in pediatric patients, with the hypothesis that a difference in bacteriology might explain the development of an intracranial complication., Study Design: Retrospective chart review., Methods: All pediatric patients with coalescent mastoiditis requiring surgery treated at a tertiary care children's hospital between 2002 and 2007 were reviewed. Every patient included was treated either with mastoidectomy alone (for coalescent mastoiditis without an intracranial complication) or with transtemporal craniotomy (for coalescent mastoiditis with an intracranial complication). All patients had surgical specimens sent for pathology, Gram stain, and aerobic and anaerobic cultures., Results: One hundred eight pediatric patients with coalescent mastoiditis were identified: 58 (53%) presented with coalescent mastoiditis alone, 17 (16%) presented with coalescent mastoiditis and an intracranial complication, and 33 (31%) were excluded because they were treated with myringotomy and tubes alone, had incomplete data, or had an unclear diagnosis. Streptococcus pneumoniae was the most commonly cultured organism in patients with and without intracranial complications. Anaerobic isolates were present in 29.4% of patients with intracranial complications and 5.7% of patients without intracranial complications (P = .015)., Conclusions: Nearly a quarter of pediatric patients with coalescent mastoiditis presented with a simultaneous intracranial complication. There was an increased incidence of anaerobic organisms in patients with intracranial complications compared to those without, indicating the importance of culture and antibiotic coverage appropriate for anaerobes. This series demonstrates the role of aggressive surgical management and close collaboration with the infectious disease service for long-term intravenous antibiotic therapy in treating pediatric patients with advanced mastoiditis.

Objectives: Lemierre syndrome is usually caused by an acute oropharyngeal infection in previously healthy young adults, resulting in thrombophlebitis of the internal jugular vein, leading to metastatic septic embolization and bacteraemia. The usual organism is Fusobacterium necrophorum. Lemierre syndrome, not so long ago labeled as the "forgotten disease," is on the rise. Today with increasing antibiotic-resistant organisms, and decreasing awareness of the syndrome, subsequent re-emergence of this "forgotten disease" is becoming more common in clinical settings. Lemierre syndrome has significant morbidity. Cranial nerve complications associated with the condition have been increasingly diagnosed in the last few years. Looking back at literature on Lemierre syndrome, there have been review articles in medical and microbiology journals but rarely in otolaryngology journals. By presenting our cases we demonstrate the diverse presentations and severity of the illness., Methods: A review of the literature and a case report on two cases seen in our institution in the last year are presented. Each of these had varied presentations and neurologic complications-one developed 9th to 12th cranial nerve palsies and Horner syndrome, which have not been described in previous literature, and the other developed polyneuropathy and a frontal lobe infarct among other multisystem complications., Conclusions: Diagnosis of Lemierre syndrome is not always straightforward as clinical features are variable and blood cultures are often negative. Awareness of the syndrome and a high degree of suspicion are needed.

Objectives: The treatment of otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis with surgery and antibiotics is well established. However, the role of anticoagulation remains unstudied. The study reviews the signs, symptoms, radiological evaluation, surgical treatment, and medical management of patients with otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis treated with or without anticoagulation., Study Design: Retrospective review of nine patients from 1995 to 2001 with sigmoid sinus thrombosis., Methods: Patients were identified by a review of all medical and radiological records. Signs, symptoms, diagnostic studies, treatments, and outcomes were recorded. In addition, telephone follow-up was performed. RESULTS Nine patients were identified over a 6-year period from 1995 to 2001. Patients had a mean follow-up time of 9 months (range, 1-24 mo). Of the nine patients identified, eight patients (89%) had tympanostomy tube placement, six patients (67%) had canal wall intact mastoidectomy, and one patient (11%) had canal wall down mastoidectomy. Needle aspiration of the sinus was performed in four of nine patients (44%), and incision of the sinus in two of nine (22%). Treatment with broad-spectrum antibiotics occurred in all patients with a mean duration of 12 days (range, 2-22 d) intravenously and 7 days (range, 0-21 d) orally. Sixty-seven percent of patients (six of nine) were anticoagulated: Five patients received low-molecular-weight heparin, and one patient received heparin-coumadin. No mortality occurred in either the anticoagulated or non-anticoagulated group. One anticoagulated patient did have persistent headaches and otorrhea., Conclusions: Surgery and antibiotic therapy are the cornerstones of the management of otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis. However, the role of anticoagulation remains unclear. Because complications of embolization and persistent sepsis are low in otogenic sigmoid sinus thrombosis patients treated with or without anticoagulation, withholding anticoagulation in selected patients is reasonable. Serial imaging to monitor for thrombus progression is advisable.

As part of a comprehensive study on sequelae after pneumococcal meningitis, 94 of 111 consecutive survivors were re-examined 4 to 16 years after discharge. Twenty-three patients had otological sequelae after pneumococcal meningitis. In these patients, 17 had hearing losses, 7 had tinnitus, 9 had vertigo, 13 had vestibular areflexia, 4 had loss of smell, and 3 had loss of taste. Among the patients with hearing loss, 4 were bilaterally deaf, 6 were unilaterally deaf, and 2 had mild and 5 had slight hearing losses. From correlations with extensive data from the medical records, preadmission antibiotic treatment appeared to protect from acousticovestibular damage. Purulent otitis media and otosurgical intervention did not correlate to the fatality rate or the development of sequelae. Acute purulent otitis media appeared as a concomitant manifestation, rather than the focus of pneumococcal meningitis.

Aerobic bacteria are responsible for most cases of suppurative otitis media/mastoiditis (OM/M). As many as 20-30% of middle ear aspirates in acute otitis media, however, are reported to be sterile on aerobic culture. Some of these cases may be due to anaerobic bacteria. Two cases of OM/M due to anaerobic bacteria are reported. The first patient had no antecedent ear disease and developed a large Bezold abscess caused by Fusobacterium varium. The second patient had attic retraction pouches bilaterally and a history of otorrhea. This patient developed labyrinthitis and meningitis due to B. fragilis. The clinical progression of disease in both cases indicates that anaerobic OM/M can follow a deceptively asymptomatic course. By contrast, complications of OM/M occur abruptly and extend rapidly in a manner typical of acute aerobic disease. Both cases required surgery for cure.

With the advent of broad-spectrum antibiotics, the clinical course of middle ear disease has been altered. One result has been the occasional suppression of the presenting signs and symptoms of mastoiditis secondary to acute middle ear disease, causing the clinician to have a false sense of security following apparent resolution of the middle ear infection. The course may be so insidious that the first awareness of the mastoiditis may be following presentation of an intracranial complication such as meningitis, lateral sinus thrombosis, or brain abscess. The authors report 9 patients seen in the past 5 years with masked mastoiditis, ranging in age from 4 months to 43 years. The presenting symptoms were all vague and non-classical; however, intracranial complications of meningitis, facial paralysis, brain abscess, and papilledema were present on admission in 7 patients, and another 2 patients had unsuspected epidural abscess upon surgical exploration. The mastoid radiographs were uniformly positive, while the CT scan was positive in 3/9 patients. All patients recovered following mastoidectomy and intracranial therapy except one patient who expired after brain herniation. The clinician is urged to maintain a high suspicion of masked mastoiditis in the high-risk patient, including newborn, diabetic, elderly, immunosuppressed or debilitated patients.

Fifty-four children with acute mastoiditis were managed at the Los Angeles County-University of Southern California Medical Center from 1972 through 1982. Our criteria for the diagnosis of acute mastoiditis are acute or subacute otitis media, postauricular swelling and erythema, protrusion of the auricle, and clouding of mastoid air cells on radiographs. Thirty-one (57%) recovered with conservative therapy consisting of early myringotomy and intravenous antibiotic, usually ampicillin. Twenty-three patients were managed surgically. The indication for surgery in each case was the clinical diagnosis of subperiosteal abscess; mastoid radiographs played no part in the decision to operate. Two of the 23 patients managed surgically had only incision and drainage of abscess; simple mastoidectomy was performed on 20 and radical mastoidectomy on one. Etiologic bacteria were cultured in 21 instances, S. pyogenes was cultured in 9, S. pneumoniae was cultured in 6, H. influenzae in 1, enterococci in 1, anaerobes in 2, and M. tuberculosis in 2.

Ten patients with brain hernia occurring as an insidious complication of chronic mastoiditis coincidentally discovered at the time of surgery are described. Four had previous surgery, six did not. A history of trauma was othwise absent. Cerebrospinal fluid otorrhea did not occur. Our method of management is described. Pathology and pathogenesis are discussed. Three patients had pedunculated brain hernias, while seven had diffuse (fungoid) herniation. Granulation tissue appeared as an important part of the disease process. These may represent abortive attempts at brain abscess formation since the widespread use of antibiotics. Pacchionian bodies may also play a role in the pathogenesis.

Three hundred thirty-five cases of acute mastoiditis with complications due to extension of infection beyond the mastoid are reported. Two hundred twenty-four of those presented with intracranial sepsis. Meningitis occurred in 83 cases, brain abscess in 53, extradural abscess in 49 cases, and lateral sinus thrombosis in 39 cases. Intracranial complications are frequently seen in this group of patients with neglected otitis media. The complications occurred frequently in children and young adults (74%) with an overall mortality rate of 14%. Meningitis was the most common complication (37%); brain abscess had the highest mortality rate (36%). The overall mortality rate from intracranial complications was reduced in comparison with previous reported series. This is attributed to antibiotic treatment, the use of CT scan in excluding other intracranial complications, and close cooperation between the otologist and neurosurgeon.

Otitic hydrocephalus is one of the less common intracranial complications of infectious ear disease, consisting of elevated intracranial pressure without focal neurologic abnormalities other than those due to the elevated pressure. A representative case is discussed in this report, followed by a review of the literature. The clinical course, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis are outlined. The etiology and the association with lateral sinus thrombosis remains obscure.