Complications of otitis media – a potentially lethal problem still present

Abstract

ICCs of OM, although uncommon, still occur. These cases require expensive, complex and long-term inpatient treatment and frequently result in hearing loss, neurological sequelae and mortality. It is important to be aware of this potentiality in children with COM, especially, and maintain a high index of suspicion in order to refer for otologic specialty care before such complications occur.

Extended high‐frequency hearing loss following the first episode of otitis media

“…Worldwide, the incidence of acute otitis media is 10.85%, accounting for over 709 million new cases every year . It is associated with several acute complications and long‐term sequelae, which include hearing loss, delayed speech and neurologic development, tinnitus, and dizziness . In the past years, several studies have hypothesized the presence of high‐frequency hearing loss as a potential long‐term sequela of acute otitis media .…”

“…Most of the studies aiming to evaluate patients who had recurrent acute otitis media or chronic otitis media with effusion using standard audiograms (250 Hz–8 kHz) failed to demonstrate significant threshold changes as compared with controls . However, studies using extended high‐frequency audiometry (8 kHz–16 kHz) reported downward threshold shifts in patients who had a history of recurrent acute otitis media.…”

“…[4][5][6] It is associated with several acute complications and long-term sequelae, which include hearing loss, delayed speech and neurologic development, tinnitus, and dizziness. [7][8][9][10] In the past years, several studies have hypothesized the presence of high-frequency hearing loss as a potential long-term sequela of acute otitis media. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] In patients with chronic otitis media, the presence of high-frequency hearing loss has been stablished in the past, presumably due to passage of toxins, bacterial products, and inflammatory mediators to the inner ear through the round window membrane.…”

“…[7][8][9][10] In the past years, several studies have hypothesized the presence of high-frequency hearing loss as a potential long-term sequela of acute otitis media. [7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] In patients with chronic otitis media, the presence of high-frequency hearing loss has been stablished in the past, presumably due to passage of toxins, bacterial products, and inflammatory mediators to the inner ear through the round window membrane. 9,11 Thus, it has been suggested that that progression of the inflammation from the middle ear to the inner ear may occur during acute otitis media inflammation as well, potentially leading to damage to the sensorial epithelium in the basal turn of the cochlea.…”

Brain Abscess Potentially Resulting from Odontogenic Focus: Report of Three Cases and a Literature Review

“…It has been known that maxillary sinusitis [15] and otitis media [19] can cause intracranial infection. A recent report noted that 80 % of intracranial complications were secondary to chronic otitis media of which the incidence of intracranial complication was 0.8 %; 20 % were due to acute otitis media [20]. This reveals that otitis media causing intracranial infection often lack acute symptoms as well as odontogenic foci.…”