title: Otitis media and CNS complications.
abstract: Intracranial complications from otitis media can be quite devastating to the patient if an early diagnosis is not made. Patients may develop meningitis, venous sinus thrombosis or cranial nerve palsies, as well as intracranial abscess. The presenting features in such cases may be subtle and include headache, nausea, vomiting, personality changes and signs of increased intracranial pressure as well as focal neurological deficits. A case of intracranial brain abscess is presented in a patient with a history of chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma. Delay in the diagnosis of intracranial complications of otitis media can lead to improper treatment with increased morbidity and mortality. The etiology and treatment of complications affecting the CNS is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Neurosurgery, Montreal Children's Hospital, Quebec, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Munz
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Farmer
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Auger
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: O'Gorman
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Schloss
mesh_terms: D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D002648:Child; D002781:Cholesteatoma / Q000150:complications; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003951:Diagnostic Errors; D004427:Ear Diseases / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008417:Mastoiditis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications*; D013701:Temporal Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014463:Ultrasonography