Tuberculous otitis media as a secondary infection to chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma

A series of six cases of tuberculous otitis media is reviewed. All patients had a history of chronic otorrhea and were operated on with a presumptive diagnosis of chronic otitis media with cholesteatoma. Postoperatively the diagnosis of tuberculosis was established by histologic examination of the granulation tissue from the middle ear and mastoid. We believe that any patient with a long history of discharging ears needs histologic examination, as tuberculous otitis might be the cause of infection. We report our findings in these patients and discuss the possibility of penetration of tuberculous mycobacteria into the ear and mastoid. In our opinion, the tuberculosis is secondary to established ear infection.