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Infections of the Ears, Nose, Throat, and Sinuses pp 101–114Cite as

External Otologic Infections

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Abstract

Otitis externa is infection and inflammation involving the external auditory canal and may include the auricle and tympanic membrane. It is characterized by otorrhea, canal inflammation, otalgia, pruritus, tinnitus, and hearing loss. It is frequently caused by acute bacterial infections but can also be attributed to chronic bacterial inflammation, fungal infections, myringitis, or viral infections. The differential diagnosis includes otitis media, malignant otitis externa, neoplasm, and autoimmune or dermatologic conditions. Treatment includes topical medications (e.g., topical antibiotics, antiseptics, corticosteroids), aural toilet, and in some cases surgical debridement. It is important to recognize the underlying diagnosis and common pathogens to appropriately treat the disease. In addition, the integrity of the tympanic membrane must be considered as many topical medications are potentially ototoxic. This chapter reviews the etiology, clinical features, diagnosis, and treatment of various external otologic infections.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Section of Otolaryngology, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center, Lebanon, NH, USA

    Kathryn Y. Noonan & James E. Saunders

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  1. Kathryn Y. Noonan
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  2. James E. Saunders
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Correspondence to James E. Saunders .

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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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Noonan, K.Y., Saunders, J.E. (2018). External Otologic Infections. 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_9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-74835-1_9

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