Otitis externa maligna. Experiencia a lo largo de 25 años en un hospital de tercer nivel / Malignant external otitis. Experience over 25 years at a tertiary referral hospital

Introducción y objetivo: La otitis externa maligna (OEM) es una infección agresiva de los tejidos blandos del oído externo y estructuras circundantes, que puede diseminarse e involucrar la base del cráneo y la articulación temporomandibular (ATM). Afecta fundamentalmente a pacientes inmunodeprimidos mayores de 65 años. El objetivo de este trabajo ha sido conocer las características de los pacientes diagnosticados de OEM en nuestro hospital durante los últimos años y establecer los criterios diagnóstico-terapéuticos de esta rara enfermedad. Método: Se realizó un estudio descriptivo, observacional y retrospectivo, de los pacientes ingresados en el Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid por OEM entre los años 1996 y 2021. Resultados: En los últimos 25 años fueron ingresados por OEM nueve pacientes, 78% varones (7/9) y con una edad media de 76,8 años. Todos manifestaron precozmente la enfermedad, con otalgia, otorrea y tejido de granulación en el conducto auditivo externo (CAE). Ninguno tuvo afectación de pares craneales, pero cuatro sufrieron invasión de la ATM y dos fallecieron. Discusión y Conclusiones: Actualmente el diagnóstico de OEM se establece a partir de una variedad de hallazgos clínicos, de laboratorio y radiográficos. El tratamiento antibiótico depende de la severidad de la infección. Desde la aparición de los antibióticos antipseudomónicos, el tratamiento quirúrgico inicial de esta patología no está indicado, realizándose únicamente biopsia o desbridamiento para el diagnóstico diferencial con patología tumoral. Conclusión: La OEM continúa siendo una enfermedad con grave morbilidad y potencialmente mortal, especialmente en pacientes ancianos y con otras comorbilidades. (AU)

Introduction and objective: Malignant external otitis (MEO) is an aggressive infection of the soft tissues of the external canal and surrounding structures, which can spread and involve the skull base and the temporomandibular joint (TMJ). It mainly affects immunocompromised patients over 65 years of age. The objective of this study has been to know the characteristics of patients diagnosed with MEO in our hospital in recent years and to establish the diagnosis and therapeutic criteria for this rare disease. Method: A descriptive, observational, and retrospective study of patients diagnosed with MEO at the University Clinical Hospital (Valladolid, Spain) between 1996 and 2021 was carried out. Results: Nine patients were diagnosed with MEO in the last 25 years, 78% male (7/9), and with a mean age of 76.8 years. All patients manifested the disease early with otalgia, otorrhea and granulation tissue in the external auditory canal (EAC). None had cranial nerve involvement, but four had TMJ invasion and two of the nine patients in the sample died. Discussion: Currently the diagnosis of MEO is established from a variety of clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings. Antimicrobial therapy depends on the severity of the infection. Since the availability of systemic antipseudomonal antibiotics, surgical treatment of this pathology is not indicated initially, performing only biopsy or debridement for differential diagnosis with tumor pathology. Conclusion: MEO continues to be a disease with serious morbidity and maximum mortality, especially in elderly patients and with other comorbidities. (AU)

Is malignant otitis externa on the increase? A retrospective review of cases.

We performed a retrospective review of all patients with malignant otitis externa (MOE) treated in our center between July 2004 and December 2012 to evaluate the current epidemiology in our region and to ascertain causative factors associated with the perceived increase in the number of cases diagnosed. Eleven patients were identified (5 men and 6 women), with a mean age of 77 years (range: 38 to 97 years). Diabetes was present in 36%. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the causative organism in 64% of cases; all pathogens were sensitive to ciprofloxacin. We noted a significant increase in the diagnostic frequency of MOE during the study period (p = 0.0027) No obvious causative factors were identified. Due to the mortality associated with this condition, further studies are required to establish national trends.

Malignant otitis externa: an Asian perspective on treatment outcomes and prognostic factors.

OBJECTIVE: Malignant otitis externa (MOE) is a severe disease with varying outcomes. Despite advances in antibiotic treatment, a significant proportion still succumbs to this disease. We aimed to analyze the effect of clinical factors on prognosis and to review treatment outcomes in our institution. STUDY DESIGN: Case series with retrospective chart review of MOE cases from 2006 to 2011. SETTING: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, National University Hospital, Singapore, a tertiary referral center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Patients with MOE admitted for treatment were studied and divided into 2 outcome groups depending on response to a 6-week course of intravenous antibiotics. Demographic and disease factors were analyzed with regard to outcome. RESULTS: Nineteen cases were analyzed. Disease resolved in 63.2% after 6 weeks of antibiotics. Mortality was 21.1%. Age, diabetic control, duration of diagnostic delay, cranial nerve involvement, and inflammatory markers were not found to predict prognosis. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein levels correlated with disease activity and can be used to monitor progress. Clival involvement was associated with persistent disease (P = .002). Only 63.2% of cases had positive cultures. Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the main organism, and 33.3% of isolates were multidrug resistant. Outcome was not different in cases where culture-directed therapy was employed vs those where empirical ceftazidime and fluoroquinolone were used (P = .650). CONCLUSION: Malignant otitis externa remains an insidious disease with significant mortality. Involvement of the clivus portends a poorer prognosis. Combination therapy with intravenous ceftazidime and oral fluoroquinolone remains relevant despite concerns of culture-negative cases and multidrug-resistant Pseudomonas.

Malignant external otitis: analysis of severe cases.

OBJECTIVE: To study the effect of specific clinical, laboratory, and imaging parameters on the course of severe (type 1) malignant external otitis (MEO). STUDY DESIGN: Case series with chart review. SETTING: Tertiary, university-affiliated medical center. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Fifty-seven patients hospitalized with severe MEO were followed for disease course and survival in a tertiary center between 1990 and 2008. RESULTS: In 20% of patients, disease was persistent and/or aggressive despite prolonged and extensive treatment. Of this subgroup, 45% died of the disease. Prognostic factors of persistent/aggressive disease were facial nerve paralysis, bilateral disease, and significant major computed tomography findings (temporomandibular joint destruction, infratemporal fossa or nasopharyngeal soft tissue involvement). Cultures grew fungi in 5 patients, and follow-up imaging revealed disease progression. The overall 5-year survival was 55% for patients with short-term disease and 40% for patients with persistent/ aggressive disease (P = .086). By age, 5-year survival was 75% in patients younger than 70 years old and 44% in older patients (P = .029). CONCLUSIONS: A significant subset of patients with MEO has a prolonged, aggressive, and highly fatal disease that needs to be identified early. These patients more frequently have bilateral disease, cranial nerve paralysis, and positive computed tomography findings. Their follow-up should routinely include imaging studies to evaluate disease progression, and every effort should be made to identify and treat underlying fungal infection.

Fungal malignant external otitis.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the clinical characteristics and outcome of fungal malignant external otitis (MEO). METHODS: The files of 60 patients treated for MEO in 1990-2008 at a tertiary medical center were reviewed for clinical characteristics and outcome, and findings were compared between patients with fungal and nonfungal infection. RESULTS: Mean duration of follow-up was 4 years. Nine patients (15%) had fungal disease; the main pathogen was Candida spp. Compared with the nonfungal MEO group, patients with a fungal infection were younger at diagnosis (average 68 vs. 74 years, p = 0.01) and had more facial nerve palsies (55% vs. 14%, p = 0.01), fewer positive bacterial cultures at presentation (33% vs. 75%, p = 0.02), and higher rates of surgery (78% vs. 18%, p = 0.0008) and hyperbaric treatment (78% vs. 4%, p = 0.0001). Eighty-nine percent had persistent infection (>2 courses of systemic antibiotics before antifungal treatment) compared with 12% in the nonfungal group (p = 0.0001). Fungal disease was associated with more persistently positive imaging findings (87.5% vs. 25%, p = 0.0001). There was no significant between-group difference in survival. CONCLUSION: Fungal MEO probably occurs secondary to prolonged antibiotic treatment for bacterial MEO. The fungal disease is more invasive than the bacterial disease, although survival is the same. Treatment should be aggressive and hyperbaric oxygen therapy should be considered.

Outcomes of malignant external otitis: survival vs mortality.

CONCLUSIONS: In patients with malignant external otitis (MEO), mortality was not related to age, sex, degree of glucose tolerance, duration of diabetes mellitus (DM), microorganism, comorbid disease, or involvement of a single cranial nerve. Severe complications such as skull base osteomyelitis, intracranial extension, and involvement of multiple cranial nerves were correlated with mortality. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the factors that affect the survival of patients with MEO in today's era of advanced antibiotics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of MEO from 1993 to 2005 were collected. RESULTS: A total 26 patients with a mean age of 63.7+/-10.2 years were included. All had a history of DM. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (26.9%), Klebsiella pneumoniae (19.2%), and fungus (15.4%) were most frequently found in pus cultures. Cranial nerves were involved in 11 patients: the facial nerve was most frequently (38.46%) involved. Complications such as osteomyelitis (11 patients) and intracranial involvement (3 patients) were noted in this series. Mastoidectomy was performed in 12 patients. A total of five patients died.

Predicting outcome of malignant external otitis.

OBJECTIVE: Malignant external otitis (MEO) continues to pose a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. The lack of a diagnostic study since 1987 combined with recent findings of quinolone-resistant MEO prompted the present analysis of MEO outcome in a major tertiary medical center. METHODS: Seventy-five consecutive patients hospitalized for suspected MEO between 1990 and 2003 were divided into 2 diagnostic groups: MEO Type 1, presence of all obligatory clinical and radiologic criteria and most of the occasional criteria of Cohen and Friedman or absence of 1 obligatory criterion with failure of intensive treatment, and MEO Type 2, absence of one of the obligatory criteria with treatment response within 1 week. The groups were compared for demographic data, underlying diseases, ear parameters, culture findings, length of hospitalization, and treatment before hospitalization, obtained from the charts. RESULTS: Both types of MEO affected mostly diabetic patients and were characterized by granulations and discharge in the external ear, severe prolonged pain, soft tissue involvement and bone destruction on computed tomographic scan, and growth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa in culture. However, Type 1 MEO was associated with a significantly older patient age at presentation, higher rate of oral antidiabetic treatment, history of diabetic (vascular) complications, computed tomographic findings of nasopharyngeal involvement (soft tissue swelling, soft tissue asymmetry, or abscess formation), bone destruction, and temporomandibular joint involvement-all of which led to significantly longer treatment and shorter survival. CONCLUSION: The worse prognosis of Type 1 MEO compared with Type 2 should alert clinicians to establish earlier diagnosis and treatment.

Characteristics and prognosis of malignant external otitis with facial paralysis.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the characteristics and prognosis of patients with malignant (necrotizing) external otitis (MEO) with and without facial nerve palsy in today's era of third-generation antibiotics. DESIGN: Comparative retrospective case series. SETTING: Department of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, Rabin Medical Center, a tertiary care medical center. PATIENTS: Forty-eight patients with MEO diagnosed and treated from 1990 to 2004. Eight had facial paralysis and 40 had normal facial nerve function. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Clinical, laboratory, and imaging findings and survival. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference between patients with and without facial nerve involvement in terms of age, comorbidities, duration of complaints, physical findings, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, and bone scan findings. Computed tomography indicated a more progressive disease in patients with facial nerve involvement. However, no statistically significant between-group difference was found in overall survival. CONCLUSION: Although facial nerve involvement is a sign of progression of MEO, it does not, by itself, worsen prognosis.

Malignant otitis externa: the therapeutic evolution of a lethal infection.

Malignant otitis externa (MOE) is a potentially fatal infection of the external auditory canal caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa in a majority of cases. Treatment of MOE has changed over the years. Surgical debridement of all infected tissue is no longer considered the treatment of choice and has been replaced by localized surgical debridement supplemented with long-term antimicrobial chemotherapy. The recent availability of the fluoroquinolones and in particular ciprofloxacin has opened up new therapeutic opportunities.

[Otitis externa maligna. Our experience]. / Otitis externa maligna. Nuestra experiencia.

The AA. expose the experience gained through a group of 9 cases of malignant external otitis. They review the previous circumstances, assess the results of medical and/or surgical treatment and the evolution of the processes, emphasizing the importance of prognostic factors. Twenty-two per cent was the rate mortality.

Prognostic implications of therapy for necrotizing external otitis.

Necrotizing external otitis is a slowly progressive infection of the ear canal and basal skull caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Treatment with aminoglycoside and antipseudomonal penicillin antibiotics significantly reduces extension of infection, decreases the severity of the associated cranial nerve injury, and limits disease-related mortality. Combined antimicrobial and surgical treatment appears to be more efficacious than antibiotics alone when evaluated for comparable stages of the disease. However, invasive surgical procedures may promote the spread of infection, particularly in the absence of appropriate antibiotic therapy. A high index of suspicion for the syndrome should be aroused when external otitis is present for longer than two weeks, especially after local debridement and topical antibiotic treatment. Aggressive use of systemic antibiotic therapy in diabetic patients, who are at greatest risk, should reduce disease extension and lessen the need for multiple surgical procedures.