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Infections of the Ears, Nose, Throat, and Sinuses pp 115–131Cite as

Malignant Otitis Externa

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Abstract

Malignant otitis externa (MOE) is a rare, invasive infection of the temporal bone that arises in the external auditory canal. Most cases are due to Pseudomonas and occur in older diabetic patients. Untreated infection can extend to surrounding soft tissues and bones (temporomandibular joint , nasopharynx, petrous apex , skull base). The infection is subacute to chronic in presentation but potentially life-threatening. The correct diagnosis is often missed for weeks to months because the clinician is unfamiliar with the signs and symptoms of MOE. The high mortality rate seen in early series prompted the adjective “malignant,” but recent series have demonstrated that cure is possible in all cases if MOE is diagnosed early and treated appropriately. This chapter reviews the clinical features, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of MOE.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Marlene L. Durand

  2. Infectious Disease Service, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA

    Marlene L. Durand

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  1. Marlene L. Durand
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Correspondence to Marlene L. Durand .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Infectious Diseases, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Marlene L. Durand

  2. Department of Otolaryngology, Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary, Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts, USA

    Daniel G. Deschler

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Durand, M.L. (2018). Malignant Otitis Externa. In: Durand, M., Deschler, D. (eds) Infections of the Ears, Nose, Throat, and Sinuses. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74835-1_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74835-1_10

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-74835-1

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