Related Experiment Videos
[Acute mastoiditis in childhood. A study of 15 cases]
F del Castillo Martín1, M T Sánchez Purificación, M González Ipiña
1Servicio Infecciosos, Hospital Infantil La Paz, Madrid.
Insights
Acute mastoiditis in children, characterized by ear infection and bone changes, was diagnosed using specific criteria. All 15 cases showed successful outcomes following intravenous antibiotic therapy and surgical interventions when necessary.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Otolaryngology
- Infectious Diseases
Abstract:
We present 15 cases of acute mastoiditis diagnosed in previously healthy children. Diagnostic criteria were the presence of acute otitis media, retroauricular inflammatory signs and radiographic alteration of the mastoid bone. The average age of the children was 3 years, with a range between 5 months and 7 years. Two children were younger than 1 year of age. The lesion was unilateral in all cases. Blood analysis revealed an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, being higher than 66 mm in the first hour in all patients. In 4 children it was higher than 110 mm. Ten children received previous antibiotic therapy for acute otitis media and five children did not. Among these 10 treated children, antibiotic therapy was unsuitable in 3 cases. All patients were treated on admission with i.v. antibiotic therapy. Tympanostomy was performed in 5 of 6 cases with the entire eardrum. Mastoidectomy was performed in 3 patients due to poor results of the treatment. The evolution was successful in all cases.