Otitis externa.

External otitis (EO) is a common and often painful infection in the ear canal. This review provides an overview of the typical presentation, causes, complications, and treatment of EO. The condition is influenced by factors like pH levels, inflammation, and bacterial or fungal invasion. Most common bacteria involved are Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus, and most common fungi are Aspergillus and Candida species. EO can lead to serious complications, such as necrotising EO, which requires prompt medical attention. Treatment involves local care, ear drops, and, in severe cases, systemic antibiotics.

Transient Facial Nerve Palsy in Aviation.

INTRODUCTION: Facial nerve palsy has been observed sporadically by aviation medicine doctors in recent years. We present two case reports of patients with the rare condition of facial nerve palsy occurring during aviation, along with a review of the literature, an overview of the phenomenon and the described symptoms of the cases. PubMed® including Medline® was searched using the terms nerve palsy and aviation with no restriction. In addition, two new cases of recurrent nerve palsy are described.CASE REPORTS: We describe two case reports: A 20-yr-old woman reported recurrent transient left-sided facial nerve palsy with increased duration and intensity on four subsequent flights, and a 35-yr-old woman who reported a left-sided transient facial nerve palsy 20 min after ascent.DISCUSSION: Included in the systematic review were 17 studies. Only case report studies were found. Including the two cases of facial nerve palsy described in this article, the reviewed studies represent 23 cases of peer-reviewed facial baro-palsy in aviation (ages 10 to 62 yr old). Having baro-palsy symptoms during flight is a rare condition, and the mechanism is not well understood. Some typical characteristics and possible mechanisms are discussed. PE tube insertion of the tympanic membrane has been found to be an effective treatment; however, further studies are needed.Bloch SL, Hertz J, Klokker M. Transient facial nerve palsy in aviation. Aerosp Med Hum Perform. 2023; 94(5):404-408.

[Bilateral vestibulopathy after intravenous gentamicin therapy].

This case report is about a 70-year-old man, who developed bilateral vestibulopathy due to intravenous gentamicin for endocarditis, and during admission he developed dizziness and oscillopsia. He was diagnosed with bilateral vestibulop-athy, when saccades were found on a video head impulse test (vHIT). The diagnosis was postponed by the lack of severe vertigo and nystagmus, which is seen in acute unilateral vestibulopathy. When gentamicin-induced vestibulapathy is suspected, a vHIT examination is recommended.