Tuberculous otitis media can cause significant morbidities such as profound hearing loss, labyrinthitis and meningitis if early diagnosis and treatment are not performed.
We experienced 2 cases of tuberculous otitis media and reviewed recent clinical reports, concluding that though tuberculous otitis media is known to show painless otorrhea, multiple perforation and facial falsy, they are not consistent findings
in
the
recent times and bateriological culture doesn't always yield a reliable result to diagnose this disease.
Clinical suspicion is of utmost importance especially in cases of persistent otorrhea despite appropriate antibiotic therapy, severe conductive hearing loss, abdundant pale granulations, eroded malleus and concommitant tuberculous in other
organs.
Early diagnosis by bacteriological study of smeared secretion and pathologic examinations of biopsied tissue were manditory to preserve hearing ability and reduce morbities, which otherewise might be caused by delayed initiation of therapy or
more
invasive procedure. (Korean J Otolaryngol 39 : 2, 1996)
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