Invasive fungal and bacterial infections of the temporal bone

Objectives were to highlight the importance of surgical therapy in treating invasive polymicrobial infections of the temporal bone, to discuss the importance of antifungal therapy, and to review the differential diagnosis of ear canal granulomatous disorders.

Retrospective case review at a tertiary care medical center.

A retrospective chart review of all patients diagnosed with invasive polymicrobial temporal bone infections was performed. Four patients were identified. All patients required surgical therapy for definitive management. All patients were followed for at least 1 year or until death.

Three of four patients had invasive fungi as pathogens. One patient had an occult squamous cell carcinoma. At the time of writing, one patient was free of disease, two were dead of disease, and one was alive with disease.

Invasive polymicrobial temporal bone infections can occur in immunocompromised patients and can possibly harbor an occult malignancy. Surgical debridement may be necessary to arrive at a correct diagnosis. Modified radical mastoidectomy with parenteral antibiotic therapy and other adjunctive measures may be necessary for disease resolution.