title: Acute on-chronic middle ear disease.
abstract: The discharging ear is a common presenting symptom to GPs and otologists. The commonest causes are otitis externa and otitis media. Less common is cholesteatoma, which presents with a chronic offensive mucopurulent discharge and deafness. Acute mastoiditis as a presenting symptom of cholesteatoma is rare and, with the introduction of antibiotics, the incidence has declined even further. We present three cases of cholesteatoma presenting as mastoiditis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Royal National Throat Nose and Ear Hospital, London, UK.
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ghufoor
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Diver
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: O'Flynn
mesh_terms: D000208:Acute Disease; D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D018424:Cholesteatoma, Middle Ear / Q000175:diagnosis*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008417:Mastoiditis / Q000175:diagnosis*