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Hemotympanums secondary to spontaneous epistaxis in a 7-year-old

Timothy R Hurtado1, Wesley G Zeger

  • 1Department of Emergency Medicine, Madigan-University of Washington Emergency Medicine Residency, Madigan Army Medical Center, Fort Lewis, Washington, USA.

The Journal of Emergency Medicine
|January 31, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Hemotympanum, blood in the middle ear, is rarely caused by spontaneous nosebleeds. This case report details a rare instance of bilateral hemotympanums in a child due to spontaneous epistaxis.

Area of Science:

  • Otolaryngology
  • Pediatric Medicine
  • Emergency Medicine

Background:

  • Hemotympanum is typically linked to basilar skull fractures or nasal packing.
  • Spontaneous epistaxis as a cause of hemotympanum is uncommon in adults, with only five cases reported.
  • No prior pediatric cases of hemotympanum secondary to spontaneous epistaxis have been documented.

Observation:

  • A 7-year-old child presented with symptoms suggestive of middle ear pathology.
  • Physical examination revealed bilateral hemotympanums.
  • The child reported a history of spontaneous epistaxis.

Findings:

  • The bilateral hemotympanums were found to be secondary to spontaneous epistaxis.
  • This represents the first reported case of hemotympanum in a child caused by spontaneous epistaxis.

Implications:

  • This case expands the known differential diagnosis for pediatric hemotympanum.
  • It highlights the importance of considering spontaneous epistaxis in the etiology of hemotympanum, even in pediatric patients.
  • Further investigation may be warranted to understand the mechanism and prevalence of this association in children.

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