Otitis media in adult trauma patients: incidence and clinical significance.
To determine the incidence and clinical significance of otitis media in traumatized adults requiring intubation, 67 adult trauma patients admitted to a level-I trauma center over a 6-month period who required three or more days of intubation were examined otoscopically for the presence of otitis media. Eleven of these intubated brain-injured patients had otitis and upon examination all were found to have purulent paranasal sinusitis as well. In conclusion, all intubated patients with severe head injuries should be evaluated otoscopically for the presence of otitis and those patients with otitis should be examined for the presence of sinusitis.
Christensen
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Division of Trauma, UMDNJ/Robert Wood Johnson Medical School-Camden, New Jersey.
Schaffer
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Ross
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D000208:Acute Disease; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D006259:Craniocerebral Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007441:Intubation, Gastrointestinal; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010033:Otitis Media / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012852:Sinusitis / Q000150:complications / Q000382:microbiology