Ceftazidime-Cefazolin Empiric Therapy for Pediatric Gradenigo Syndrome

Gradenigo Syndrome (GS), a rare complication of petrous apicitis secondary to acute otitis media, is characterized by (an often incomplete) triad of otorrhea, abducens nerve palsy, and facial pain along the trigeminal nerve distribution. There are several causative pathogens of petrous apicitis, including Streptococcus and Staphylococcus species, while Pseudomonas aeruginosa is the most common. However, the case report literature often describes antibiotic management of GS with antibiotics that do not cover Pseudomonas, potentially predisposing to further intracranial complications or mortality. The purpose of this work was to describe a case of pediatric Gradenigo Syndrome, successfully treated with sufficiently broad-spectrum antibiotics.

This is case report.

A previously healthy 5-year-old boy with a history of swimming presented with esotropia and acute otitis media. Initial symptoms included otorrhea, otalgia, and pruritis, which were refractory to ciprofloxacin-dexamethasone drops. He subsequently developed a right sixth nerve palsy, suggestive of Gradenigo Syndrome, and neuroimaging showed evidence of petrous apicitis, clival osteomyelitis, and internal carotid artery stenosis. The causative organism was not elucidated to laboratory error. Given this uncertainty, he was successfully treated with empiric intravenous ceftazidime and cefazolin. After 16 weeks, he recovered fully without the need for surgery.

In the setting of delayed or absent culture results with suspicion of skull-base infection, our case supports the use of empiric antibiotic therapy with sufficient coverage of all common pathogens including Streptococcus/Staphylococcus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa species, the latter of which is often not adequately covered by antibiotic regimens described in the literature.