Malignant otitis externa in Australian Aboriginal patients: A 9-year retrospective analysis from the Northern Territory.

OBJECTIVE: In the Australian Aboriginal population, type 2 diabetes occurs at a much higher prevalence, with a much younger age of onset of the disease and its complications. Despite the clear association with malignant otitis externa, no previous studies have examined malignant otitis externa in this population. This study explores the pattern of malignant otitis externa amongst Australian Aboriginal patients in the Northern Territory. DESIGN: Retrospective case series. SETTING: Otolaryngology unit in a tertiary referral hospital in Northern Territory, Australia. PARTICIPANTS: Patients admitted with malignant otitis externa between January 2007 and October 2016 were identified by reviewing case notes. Patients diagnosed with malignant otitis externa based on results from clinical, microbiological and radiological criteria were included. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Complications rates, duration of hospital stay and parenteral antibiotics, age of onset and causative organisms. RESULTS: Nine patients were included. Six were Australian Aboriginal - all from regional centres. The most common causative organism was Pseudomonas aeruginosa. There was a higher-than-expected occurrence of fungal malignant otitis externa (33% of Australian Aboriginal patients), who tended to be younger at diagnosis, had longer hospital stays and had a higher disease-specific mortality. Over half of the patients did not receive follow-up gallium bone scans to monitor disease resolution, reflecting the limitations of rural health care. CONCLUSION: Malignant otitis externa in the Australian Aboriginal population is a challenging disease with high complication and mortality rates. Their rural and remote distribution is a significant barrier to specialist investigation and care. Providing effective care for this disease requires improved access to high-quality primary health care and tertiary specialist services.

Insular carcinoma arising on a background of follicular carcinoma, thyrolipomatosis and amyloid goitre.

A 67-year-old man was referred with a history of a right-sided neck lump and dysphonia, secondary to a lesion in the thyroid gland. After undergoing a total thyroidectomy, he was found to have an exceedingly rare combination of follicular carcinoma, insular carcinoma, thyrolipomatosis and an amyloid goitre in his thyroid gland. He subsequently underwent further radioactive iodine ablation and has been in remission. He was also later incidentally diagnosed with systemic amyloidosis, which explained the amyloid deposition in his thyroid gland.

Disseminated melioidosis in the head and neck.

A 35-year-old man was admitted to an intensive care unit with unilateral facial swelling and septic shock after multiple presentations to the emergency department with non-specific unilateral pain over the parotid area. A CT scan of his neck showed diffuse right-sided facial soft tissue infection, mastoid effusion and temporal lobe cerebritis. The upper lobes of his lungs had cannonball lesions that were suggestive of septic lung metastases. Blood cultures and ear canal swabs were positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei The temporal lobe cerebritis eventually developed into an abscess, necessitating a cortical mastoidectomy, craniectomy and temporal lobectomy. After the surgical interventions, antibiotic therapy was continued for a further 6 months. The patient remained well and had no signs of recurrence up to 7 months after the initial presentation.

Swallowed partial dentures.

Swallowed or inhaled partial dentures can present a diagnostic challenge. Three new cases are described, one of them near-fatal because of vascular erosion and haemorrhage. The published work points to the importance of good design and proper maintenance. The key to early recognition is awareness of the hazard by denture-wearers, carers and clinicians.