ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVES: To analyse the data for patients with otogenic intracranial complications during the study period and draw a comparison with internationally published literature. METHOD: A retrospective, observational study was conducted, covering a 10-year period between 1 January 2002 and 31 December 2012. RESULTS: The study comprised 108 patients (66 males (61.1 per cent) and 42 females (38.9 per cent)), of which 75 per cent were aged less than 20 years. Post-auricular swelling, otorrhoea and a decreased level of consciousness were the most frequently reported symptoms in patients with otogenic intracranial complications. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus did not show any different patterns in terms of presentation and outcome. CONCLUSION: A triad of post-auricular swelling, otorrhoea and a decreased level of consciousness should make the clinician more heedful of otogenic intracranial complications. Patients with human immunodeficiency virus and human immunodeficiency virus negative patients were equally affected and had similar presentations. Early surgical management of patients was associated with shorter hospital stays and better outcomes.
Subject(s)
Cerebrovascular Disorders/epidemiology , Ear Diseases/epidemiology , HIV Infections/epidemiology , Adolescent , Adult , Aged , Cerebrovascular Disorders/etiology , Child , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Retrospective Studies , South Africa , Young AdultABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To describe the clinical features of head and neck tuberculosis in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective, observational study. METHOD: The study included 358 patients who received a histopathologically and/or microbiologically confirmed diagnosis of tuberculosis in the head and neck region between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2011. RESULTS: A total of 358 new cases of head and neck tuberculosis were identified during the study period, involving 196 males (54.7 per cent) and 162 females (45.3 per cent). These patients had a median age of 31 years (range, 3 months to 83 years). Testing for human immunodeficiency virus was positive in 233 (65.1 per cent) and negative in 125 (34.9 per cent). Right-sided cervical lymphadenitis was the commonest form of presentation of head and neck tuberculosis. CONCLUSION: In this study, right-sided cervical lymphadenopathy was the commonest presentation of head and neck tuberculosis in both human immunodeficiency virus infected and non-infected individuals. Head and neck tuberculosis should not be excluded solely based on a normal chest X-ray, nor on the absence of constitutional symptoms.
