Case Report: A Parotid Abscess With Otorrhea, Drainage via the Fissure of Santorini

We report a case of a healthy 62-year-old male with no identifiable risk factors who presented with a 2-week history of progressive unilateral parotid gland enlargement and tenderness followed by subsequent otorrhea. A computed tomography scan and ultrasound confirmed a markedly enlarged posterior aspect of the parotid gland with the evidence of necrosis. The culture of aspirated fluid grew Staphylococcus aureus. Purulent fluid was then noted draining from the external auditory canal, via the fissure of Santorini. The patient was treated with antibiotics, pain management, and daily parotid massage with complete resolution of the parotitis. Acute bacterial parotitis with subsequent drainage and otorrhea through the fissures of Santorini is rare, with only a few reported cases in the literature.