Relapse of acute myelogenous leukemia presenting as acute otitis externa. A case report

The association of leukemia with auditory complications is an obscure, though an important one, especially from the therapeutic point of view. A case is presented of a relapse of acute myelogenous leukemia presenting as an acute otitis externa. The leukemic infiltrates in the external auditory canal are demonstrated by both light and electron microscopy. The otologic lesions in leukemias are reviewed and the importance of early diagnosis is emphasized, since the aural involvement may precede the clinical relapse of the leukemia, as in the current case. The value of computerized axial tomography of the ear and of tissue biopsy for diagnosis is stressed. The recognition of the presence of leukemic infiltrates in the ear causing otologic symptoms allows for the prompt institution of appropriate therapy.