title: Nasopharyngeal abscess and facial paralysis as complications of petrous apicitis: a case report.
abstract: An 83-year-old man with a lifelong history of intermittent otorrhea and hearing loss was referred for management of a facial paralysis of 3 weeks' duration. Computed tomography (CT) of the head detected a neoplasm of the nasopharynx along with chronic otomastoiditis. A followup CT suggested the development of a nasopharyngeal abscess, which was confirmed by needle aspiration. A later coronal-projection CT showed definite bone destruction in the anterior petrous apex, confirming suspicions that a petrous apicitis was responsible for the facial paralysis and abscess. This article describes the management of this patient and reviews the historical, medical, and surgical aspects of petrous apicitis.
authors.affiliation: Capital Ear Group, 106 Irving St., Suite 4600, Washington, DC 20010, USA.
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Fitzgerald
mesh_terms: D000038:Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000382:microbiology*; D005158:Facial Paralysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009302:Nasopharyngeal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000150:complications / Q000473:pathology; D010579:Petrous Bone / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology*; D011552:Pseudomonas Infections / Q000382:microbiology*; D011550:Pseudomonas aeruginosa / Q000302:isolation & purification*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed