Extracranial and intracranial complications of otitis media: 22-year clinical experience and analysis

Abstract

In the 285 patients with cranial complications, 253 had a single complication, 29 had two complications, and 3 had more than two complications. Intracranial complications included meningitis (16 cases), brain abscess (42 cases), sigmoid sinus involvement (29 cases), extradural abscess (8 cases), subdural abscess (1 case), and hydrocephalus (2 cases). Extracranial complications included labyrinthitis (90 cases), mastoid abscess (79 cases), facial paralysis (47 cases), Bezold abscess (5 cases), and apicitis pyramidalis (1 case). In all, 267 patients were cured or improved without recurrence. Five patients died from complications, of whom four died of cerebral hernia and one died of multiple abscesses.