Otitis externa is a common condition affecting 1–3% of the population.1 The patients often present initially to primary care. They should be referred to an ear, nose and throat (ENT) specialist if the symptoms persist despite the initial treatment with antimicrobial drops. Multifactorial issues exist as to why this occurs. However, the most common reason to seek specialist input is to address t...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Skull base osteomyelitis typically arises as a complication of ear infection in older diabetic patients, involves the temporal bone, and has Pseudomonas aeruginosa as the usual pathogen. Atypical skull base osteomyelitis arising from the sphenoid or occipital bones without associated external otitis occurs much less frequently and initially may have headache as the only s...

Otitis externa is one of the most common conditions seen in the otolaryngology practice. It encompasses a wide range of conditions, from those that cause mild inflammation and discomfort to those that are life-threatening. The management of these conditions requires a clear understanding of the anatomy and physiology of the ear canal, the microbiology of pathogens and familiarity with the clini...

Ceruminous adenoma (ceruminoma) of the external auditory meatus is a rare neoplasm with benign clinical behavior. This tumor is mainly composed of the ceruminous gland cells (modified apocrine sweat glands). These glands are localized deep in the skin mostly in the cartilaginous part of the external auditory meatus. The most often symptom of the ceruminous adenoma of external auditory meatus is...

In patients with repeated exposure to cold water, such as cold water surfers and kayakers, the reactive exostoses can occur in the external auditory canal. The external auditory canal exostoses are multiple, benign bony growths. They can cause external auditory canal stenosis, leading to repeated otitis externa and potentially conductive hearing loss. It is vital to consider this entity in susc...

skin of the outer ear canal, often associated with underlying dermatological conditions.1,2 Symptoms include discharge from the ear, reduced hearing, itch, and mild to severe pain. It may present as an acute episode, or may develop into a chronic condition causing significant adverse effects on a patient’s daily activity.3,4 Optimal treatment for otitis externa requires suction of the external ...

External otitis is a diffuse inflammation around the external auditory canal and auricle, which is often occurred by microbial infection. This disease is generally treated using antibiotics, but the frequent occurrence of antibiotic resistance requires the development of new antibiotic agents. In this context, unexplored bioactive natural candidates could be a chance for the production of targe...

Otoscopic examination and cytology of the equine ear would be beneficial in diseases such as head trauma, headshaking, otitis externa secondary to otitis media, vestibular disease, aural neoplasia and aural pruritus secondary to parasites. In practice, otic examinations of horses are rarely done due to the perceived difficulty in visualizing the equine external ear canal and tympanic membrane, ...

Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) is the most common pediatric soft tissue sarcoma. RMS of the ear usually involves the middle ear cavity. Treatment usually involves surgery, multi drug chemotherapy regimen, and high dose external beam radiotherapy (EBRT). We present a case of a 17-month-old Caucasian female with an unusual presentation of RMS localized to her external ear canal only, which was initially ...

OtItIs externa Otitis externa is an inflammation of the external auditory canal, characterised by erythema and oedema. It has a 12-month period prevalence of 1.3% in females and 1.2% in males.1 Patients typically present with otalgia and an infected discharge. However, there is generally no change in hearing unless the entire canal is obstructed. Movement of the tragus results in significant di...